ANALYSIS OF COMPLETE SPORTS AND SPORTING LIFE'S COVERAGE OF NIGERIAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. 

BY: OLAMIDE AKINWUMI JAMES

Sport  is  all  forms  of  physical  activities  which,  through  casual  or  organized  participation,  aim  to  use,  maintain,  or  improve  physical  fitness  and  provide entertainment to participants (Oloyede, Akinsanmi, & Fajembola,, 2012). Historically, sports have been with man as he advanced with time. It may not be wrong  to  say  that  every  sport  exhibited  in  a  society  reflects  the  way  of  living  of  that society (Okpala-Okaka & Mabel, 2014).

Thus, each society has its traditional sports through which they communicate to anyone who wishes to see their culture. Hundreds  of  sports  exist,  including  those  for  a single  participant,  through  to  those  with  dual  participants and either in team participants. Some non-physical  activities,  such  as  board  games  and  card  games  are  sometimes  referred  to  as  sports, but a sport is generally recognized as being based in  physical  athleticism  (Laoye  &  Ackland, 1981).

Sports are usually governed by a set of rules, or customs. Physical events such as scoring goals or crossing a line, first often define the result of a sport.   However,  the  degree  of  skill  and performance  in  some  sports  such  as  diving, dressage and figure skating is judged according to well-defined  criteria.   This  is  in  contrast  with other  judged  activities  such  as  beauty  pageants and body building, where skill does not have to be shown  and  the  criteria  are  not  as  well  defined (Adedeji, 1981).

Records  are  kept  and  updated  for  most  sports  at  the  highest  levels,  while  failures  and accomplishments  are  widely  announced  in  sport news. Sports are most often played just for fun or for  the  simple  fact  that  people  need  exercise  to stay  in  good  physical  condition.   However, professional sport is a major source of entertainment. While  practices  may  vary,  participants  in  many sports  are  expected  to  display  good sportsmanship,  and  observe  standards  of  conduct such  as  being  respectful  of  opponents  and officials,  and  congratulating  the  winner  after having lost (Onifade, 2001).

Sport is more than ever before, commanding global attention. Its influence on world peace, economy, and the development of social relationships cannot be underestimated (Aluko & Adodo, 2011). Sport has the power of influencing peoples mind than any other activities, be it religion or politics.  The utility that fans obtain from these can be considered to derive from identification with a team in the sporting contest and the quality of the contest, on the first point it is generally accepted that fan interest is enhanced by an association to a specific team or its competitors (Mason, 1999).

According to Victor (2015), even  though  Nigeria  has  a  thriving  football  league  (the  Nigerian  Premier  League, NPL)  with 20 full-fledged  teams, a  growing number of its citizens are devoted fans of  teams and players in European leagues and championships. On this note, Newspapers have a vital role to play in the promotion of sport. Through newspapers sports can be marketed and given wider publicity.

Based on the aforementioned statement this raised a question on the functions of the mass media in promoting Nigerian Professional Football League. One of the major primary functions of a newspaper is to inform its readers, provide interpretation to news, as well as provision of entertainment to its readership. These functions explain what the newspaper does, and why people read it. Newspapers help readers become informed citizens and make better decisions by providing lots of facts. Hard news stories, vital statistics, weather, sports stories and scores, and event calendars are examples of items that help inform readers. 

Some newspaper articles help interpret, or explain, the meaning of news to readers. These stories often include the opinion of the writer or newspaper management, such as editorials, opinion columns, news analysis, and reviews are some examples. Newspaper stories provide information that helps readers solve their business, home, recreation, and daily living problems. 

Moreover, National Sports Policy of Nigeria philosophy encourages participation in sport as avenue for enhancement of health, exhibition of innate physical attribute, expression of talents, skills and alleviation of poverty; its vision includes to establish a technically efficient institution equipped with the desired professional manpower, resources, right equipment and well maintained facilities for sports development and participation; and it’s to develop the sports sector to a world class level where it would provide continuous improvement of quality of life for the entire citizenry to the extent that Nigeria would be recognized as one of the leading sporting countries in the world.  Importantly, news coverage and reports of Nigerian Professional Football League are essentially focused on the spectacular carnage they involve; frequency, prominence and direction of the events reportage.

This study seeks to analyses the extent to which the two major sports newspapers in the country (i.e. The Complete Sport and Sporting Life Newspapers) are promoting the Nigerian Professional Football League in their news stories, features, articles and commentary.

Background to the Study:

Daramola (2011) explains that comparative research is a kind of research that deals with how a group of subjects who differ in some important characteristics is compared and contrasted so as to identify possible or probable causes for the phenomenon in which we are interested. Daramola (2011, p.37), stresses further: Suppose we are interested in the possible causes of causal comparative research products, one mode of products that succeed and the other consisting of products that fail. Data will be gathered and test carried out on the subjects to compare two groups or variables. In comparing the two groups, those variables might help us identify possible causes for product failure

The comparative study of sports involves comparing and contrasting aspects of media coverage of sporting activities, coupled with some aspects of sports, especially football, and more importantly men’s football.

Concerning the effect of football as a medium of change, ex-Super Eagles player and football pundit, Odegbami (2016) in his article titled: Use Football to Change the World says: This is a game that had transcended all manner of human frailties and failures – politics, power, religion, race, ethnicity, class, colour and creed... this is the sport that evokes passion, that creates bridges across lines, promotes national unity and patriotism, yet cements friendship across nations, submit everyone to common rules and laws, and ensures healthy competition amongst the different peoples of the world like no other activity in history. (Odegbami, 2016)

The relationship between the print media and sports has become of particular interest to media scholars over the last decade. As the significance of sport itself has grown in a variety of other disciplines, the study of the ways in which media and sport interact across boundaries can be found in the literature on the sociology of sport, history of sports, gender studies, cultural studies, journalism, as well as globalization. The above view is further elaborated by Schweitzer, (2012, p.15): The print media have recognized the power of sport; particularly football for a long time now, as it is regarded as one of the cornerstones of content that is consumed better than anything else. Newspapers are read on a daily basis and this means people are up to date with all the football news, they will also read anything that is written about a player, and be influenced as well.

The mass-media in every society have not only occupied the role of image  makers, they  are  fast  assuming the  position of a mirror  that  can reflect accurately the  image  of the  society  and development there-in. Ferguson (1981), described mass-media as means  through which information  is  made available to  a larger population. He further described sports development as innovations and changes in status of sports over time. 

Enyeribe (1993), noted that one area in which the press has gingered a lot of interest, participation and love for Nigeria is in the field of football. Many believed that the press contributed negatively to the development of football in Nigeria, while others believe otherwise.

Prior to the known media of today, people had to rely on word of mouth and the limited number of literate people to tell them when sports fixtures would take place. With the introduction of compulsory education and the subsequent increases in literacy, newspapers and sports journals became more popular as a way of reporting about sport and notifying the population about an event (Saini, 2015).  Alongside this, came shorter working hours and better transportation to allow people to attend events, which is the introduction of the media into sport in the year 1820.

Also, research reveals that healthy competition exists among the different media of communication, as Television, Radio, Newspaper and the Internet struggle for audiences. The studies conducted by Home (2005); Kane and Buysse (2005) and Lee (2005) cited in Mohibullah, (2014) have confirmed the impact of mass media upon sport.  In the field of sport, competitions are conducted in different parts of the world. It has always been the innate desire of the sport loving people to be among viewers of the live activity or, at least to be timely informed about the progress and result of the activity. 

Therefore, information is the life wire of every society. It is the bedrock upon which development are built upon. Ogundowole et al., (2006, p.2) “information brings light to the darkness (ignorance) in the minds of the people in the society.” The society depends largely on the media (newspaper, Magazine, Radio and Television and lately the Internet) for information consumption, people want to be informed about various events and happenings in every sector of the society and they depend on the media to feed them with useful information. Information is conveyed either as the content of a message or through direct or indirect observation of something. 

Newspaper contribution to the development and promotion of sport all over the world is very vital especially in developing countries most especially Nigeria where football is creating waves. According to Andanje et al. (2013), newspapers are important tools for marketing, publicizing and popularizing sports. The primary roles of newspapers can be summarized to include dissemination of information on sports and educating people on matters of sports. Andanje et al, (2013), believed that the media can be relied upon to develop sports by bringing talents into the limelight, giving recognition to outstanding sports personalities who can serve as role models to the young athletes, highlight problematic and weak areas in sports programmes so that efforts can be directed towards addressing them and attracting corporate sponsorship in sports through positive reporting on spots issues.

Sport reportage requires expertise and skills because it appeals to the behaviour of the audiences and it also relates with the management and structure of sport development in Nigeria. The selection of sports participant or athletes should be from various states in the country. Thus, competitive sports serve as an integrating force and source of socio-political relationships.

The mass media fill this responsibility gap as they report sporting activities and provide the necessary information needed to all interested parties far and wide. Newspapers, because of its wider reach, have become the surest, though the costliest means of advertising products, services and programmes. (Obayelu, 2015).

This responsibility puts them on the move all the time, hunting for facts that will be of immense value to their consumers. Sports journalism in the view of Steen (2007) cited in (Obayelu, 2015) covers writing and reports about materials of professional sports. Sport journalism in print medium provides detailed previews of upcoming events and post-game analyses in addition to extensive update of game scores, player statistics and teams standings.

Every society has a history and origin. The history of sports in Nigeria cannot be pin-point to a particular date as sport’s is as old as man. In the assertion of Aluko, et al (2011, p.1) sport is more than ever before, commanding global attention. Its influence on world peace, economy, and the development of social relationships cannot be underestimated. It is against this background that most nations have come to appreciate the need to invest heavily on it. Based on this aforementioned, National Sports Policy of Nigeria described sports as physical and social activities done according to rules for exercise, competition or recreation. Saini (2015) identified the classification of sports as follows, Informal sports and formal sports. Informal competitive sports have their origin in villages and their ethnic groups. This humble beginning as entertainment and recreational past-time subsequently developed into prominent phenomenon that could no longer be ignored in the socio-political and economic life of the nation. 

Missionaries introduced formal sports in Nigeria and in the course of history both formal and traditional sports have evolved to be administered by management structures such as Sports Federations, Sports Councils and at the apex, the National Sports Commission. Formal sports organization started in Nigeria at about 1910 with the introduction of Empire Day competitions, which were organized on inter-schools basis. 

The establishment of mission schools in different parts of Nigeria assisted in the development of sports and the introduction of new ones. Though most of the sports were alien to Nigerians, they were welcomed because they served the common goal of recreation, entertainment, social mobilization and promotion of unity in diversity.

Nigeria’s  first  participation in an international competition was in 1934, when the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe represented Nigeria in the 440 yards (400m) at the Commonwealth Games and Empire day competitions in London. Nigeria presented teams for the first time during the 1950 Commonwealth Games in Hamilton, Canada, the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, and the first edition of the All Africa Games in 1965, Libreville, Congo. 

Nigeria has since then continued to participate in these games except the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada, and the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, as well as the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia because of political reasons that were largely influenced by the Apartheid Regime in South Africa at that time. Nigeria did not participate in the 1976 Olympics and the 1986 Commonwealth Games because of the African boycott of the Games. 

Nigeria could not participate in the 1998 Commonwealth Games because she was under suspension by the Commonwealth. Sports administration and practice in Nigeria have taken a new and great dimension, thereby becoming a big commercial venture and employer of labour. 

The domination of the sporting world by the Russians and their allies coupled with their unique organizational structure of sports influenced the Federal government of Nigeria to directly involve herself in the control, regulation and promotion of sports. The outcome of this decision was the establishment of the National Sports Council in 1962. Administratively, sports is administered at the State level through sports councils and at the National level through the National Sports Commission. 

However, Sports administration and practice in Nigeria have taken a new and great dimension, thereby becoming a big commercial venture and employer of labour. The domination of the sporting world by the Russians and their allies coupled with their unique organizational structure of sports influenced the Federal Government of Nigeria to directly involve herself in the control, regulation and promotion of sports. The outcome of this decision was the establishment of the National Sports Council in 1962. 

Historical evolution of the National Sports Commission is as stated hereunder. The promulgation of Decree 34 of 1971 formalized and legalized the National Sports Commission (NSC) as the apex Federal Government agency to control, regulate and organize sports in Nigeria.

The oscillation of the administration of sports between the Federal Ministry of Sports and the National Sports Commission was a major factor militating against the desired growth and development of Sports in Nigeria. Sports management structure suffered some setbacks as a result of poor or non-implementation of the 1989 National Sports Policy. The promulgation of Decree 34 of 1971 formalized and legalized the National Sports Commission (NSC) as the apex Federal Government agency to control, regulate and organize sports in Nigeria.

However, the promulgation of Decree 7 of 1991 saw the reemergence of the National Sports Commission as a Parastatal under the Ministry of Youth and Sport. In 1995, the National Sports Commission was scrapped and the administration of sports was once again transferred to the Ministry. By December 2006, the Obasanjo Administration reverted the then Federal Ministry of Sports and Social Development (FMSSD) to the National Sports Commission. Prior to this development, the then Ministry had recognized 34 Nations as Sports Federations, Sports Councils and at the apex, the National Sports Commission.

The emergence of football professional league in Nigeria came as a result of bad performance of Nigeria footballers at international level. (Rahaman, 2012) cited in Okpala, (2014). After  the  introduction  of  the  professional  league,  many  clubs  showed  interest  to participate in the league and the then board decided to introduce division two of the league in 1991. The league kept going until 2003 when the Premier League was introduced. However, commercialization was introduced to football which brought in the media into peaceful co-existence with modern sports. Sports are more or less like a business which main goal is to make profit or acquire wealth unlike traditional games which were connected to festival or other events.

The  press  (newspaper  in  this  context)  has  also  played  a  significant  role  in  sport promotion. Having the advantage over other media as the oldest medium in the world at large and Nigeria (Iwe  Irohin,  1859  by  Rev.  Townsend), audiences depend on it for information of coming events and results of past events. Onwumechili (2009) in Okpala et.al (2014, p.14) noted that:

In late 1930’s and early 1940’s when football emerged in popularity, our local newspapers such as West African Pilot and Daily Service dedicated their interest to local football. This action according to him gave rise to nationalistic spirit and the struggle for national independence. Furthering his point, he opined that their nationalistic spirit was short-lived as a result of economic depression that besieged the country. Thus, the media were financially handicapped and they resorted to wire reports from news agencies and transnational media to fill their slots and pages as there was no money for live coverage of outdoor events including soccer.

Complete Sports (CS) is Nigeria’s number one all-sports daily newspaper. It was first published in December, 1995. It is the most-widely-read sports publication in Nigeria. (All Media and Product Survey (AMPS) research, 2008 and 2009).

Complete Sports (CS) is published by Complete Communications Limited (CCL). CCL is the oldest and longest-running sports publishing group in Nigeria. It was established in 1984 but incorporated as CCL in 1987. Other publications in the CCL stable are Complete Football (CF) magazine (established in 1985) and International Soccer (i-Soccer) which was originally established as International Soccer Review (ISR) in 1990. The group had also previously published Sports Souvenir, Nigeria’s first weekly sports newspaper (1984), Climax magazine (1988), Complete Football International (1994) and Complete Football Extra (1995). Complete Sports (CS) is currently the flagship publication in the CCL Group. Complete Sports Saturday (CSS) is the Saturday edition.

The primary focus of CS and CSS is sports news about Nigeria and the exploits of Nigerian sportsmen and women both at home and abroad, particularly the footballers. CS and CSS are circulated nationwide in Nigeria and partly in neighboring countries like Benin Republic and Cameroun. Complete Sports newspapers have the largest circulation figures in Nigeria in the sports category and the second largest circulation in the general newspaper category (AMPS research, 2008 and 2009). CS and CSS are read mostly by young and middle aged males between 13 and 55years of age (75%). Older male and women make up the rest (25%).

Dr. Sunny Obazu-Ojeagbase is the Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of the newspaper and it has its headquarters in Isolo, a local government area in Lagos State. 

Meanwhile, Sporting Life is one of the publications of Vintage Press Limited; publishers of The Nation newspaper. It is a daily sports newspaper established on August 30, 2009. But prior to the afore-mentioned date, Sporting Life used to be an eight page pull-out report in The Nation newspaper. According to the Sports Editor, Mr. Ade Ojerika, the initiative to start up another independent newspaper was as a result of the dubious activities of newspaper vendors who used to remove the eight page pull out from The Nation and sell it separately to unsuspecting readers in order to make double profit.

Consequently, the management of Vintage Press Limited decided to re-introduce Sporting Life newspaper as a daily sports newspaper. Sporting Life newspaper covers both local and international sporting events and competitions. The sports events it reports include Nigeria Professional Football League, English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FIFA World Cup, CAF Champions League, Olympics Games, African Cup of Nations, Para-Olympics Games, Nigerian Premier Basketball League and many more.

In the same token, some sports commentators, researchers and administrators in Nigeria have attributed that Nigeria media gives more coverage to English Premier League (EPL), matches than the Nigeria Professional Football League matches in terms of quality and quantity. Hence, this study aim to analyse and assess the coverage of Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), by this two major sport newspapers- Complete Sports and Sporting Life Newspapers and their contribution to Sports development in Nigeria. 

Significance of the Study

There is no doubt about the fact that sports have become part and parcel of our modern society. Therefore, this research study is of great importance to the generality of Nigerians who want to venture into the practice of sports journalism, or own, and operate media houses that are purely to develop the nation’s sporting sector.

Similarly, this research study also serves as a means of finding out the level of coverage given to sporting events in Nigeria sports newspapers, with a view to establishing sport journalism as an important genre of journalism giving the increasing value of sport in our society.

Furthermore, this study will be relevant to other researchers as it will be providing the opportunity to know more on the benefits or otherwise of sports journalism and media coverage of sporting events as well as local talent promotion and exposure through sports in Nigeria.

Policy makers in the sporting sector will find the outcome of this research work useful for future sports planning policies. The possible recommendations made will be very useful to sports administrators and management of the various sporting associations or bodies in the country.

It will bring to the consciousness of the governments at all levels, the reasons for developing local sports instead of paying more attention on the foreign leagues.