The Premier League is perhaps club football’s biggest stage and has left a huge footprint on Nigeria and the continent.
The English Premier League is one of the most watched and followed competitions in the world. English games have grown rapidly over the years due to their ingenuity.
In Nigeria, most soccer fans support at least one English top team. Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal are among the clubs with the most fans in Nigeria. Soccernet.ng investigates the reasons behind Nigeria’s Premier League dominance.
First of all, Nigerians were a British colony, so it is natural that they are related to the British. It’s easy to follow the league as there are no language barriers.
Other things also contributed to the appeal of English games. In 1992, the English Football League was revived and renamed the Premier League. At the time, the Nigerian League was in the doldrums, but the Premier League improved with the influx of money and investors.
Of course, the only thing that makes money is quality. According to Reuters, in the opening week of the inaugural Premier League season in 1992, only 13 players took part from outside the British Isles. But since then, more than 120 countries have joined the Premier League. This gives you a wider range.
Some of the biggest names representing the Super Eagles have played in England. In fact, many Nigerian Arsenal fans started supporting the club because of Nwankwo Kanu. Chelsea gained many fans in Africa as they invested in African players in the early 2000s, signing Michael Essien, Didier Drogba, Mikel Obi and Salomon Kalou.
Variety aside, most of the best soccer players play in the Premier League. The Premier League featured players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Cesc Fabregas, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, Fernando Torres, Ryan Giggs, Frank Lampard and Mesut Ozil.
The Premier League and its clubs also focus on marketing, innovation and merchandising. This has attracted the attention of soccer fans.
For example, Fantasy Premier League is a game that attracts many young football fans. Thanks to this game, even ignorant people will start following smaller clubs in the Premier League.
Finally, the transmission is first class. EPL has the best video and audio quality among the top 5 leagues. In fact, each club makes the most money from broadcast rights, with the amount exceeding his £5 million, the highest in Europe. That money will then be distributed appropriately among the 20 teams in that division.
Controversy, different play patterns, and fanfare also add to the league’s appeal. Considering the good structure of the league, it is clear why Nigerians love it.
