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Soccer Branding: The history of European football in Nigeria

Soccer Branding: The History European football in Nigeria

By Eric Okeke

European football is a very significant impact in Nigeria, have captivated the attention ay of football fans, young and old alike, that affect the way Nigerians to relax and create business opportunities for smart entrepreneurs.

And the history of this brand of football, club support, fun, entertainment, games and business in Nigeria, but the game is played thousands of miles. For Nigerians football is the gaming and entertainment, football clubs and players are registered, while showing the correspondence of the company.

The main marks the waves of European football in Nigeria, championships, and the English Premier League. Whenever the teams in these competitions to participate in competitive soccer for a cup, Nigerian fans are captivated. It is as if the game is played in Nigeria.

Some fans are strong in their support for the clubs they love. Come see the campaigns clubs in Nigeria before a crucial game. Sometimes it is fanatical. And in many cases, leads to quarrels and fights between supporters of different clubs in Europe.

Support Clubs sometimes goes beyond the ordinary. Sometimes, emotions are high. Big names include Manchester United, Barcelona, Chelsea, Arsenal, Real Madrid AC Milan, and others. For the football clubs, the images are important in Nigeria, which have big fan of fans who are willing to blows, fight, or participate in lively discussions in support of their clubs. The impact of European football in Nigeria so intense that it is shaping football fans may well relax in the center of fun, food and beverages.

Two European clubs to the largest crowd of supporters in Nigeria are Manchester United (Man U) and Chelsea. And the curious observer of the profile of these fans is a clear separation or stratification in terms of social class, education, income and power. How?

Man U has captivated fans with the support of middle and higher professional class, which have a flat screen television sets at home, and subscribe to the cable television. And after all win by the football club, you hear the cries of, Man U for life! by enthusiastic fans. It is followed by crowded taverns and joints pepper in the soup most cities in Nigeria to celebrate the victories. When they got there and the fans enjoy the victory, you hear so many stories that shakes the party, saying all kinds of rigorous analysis and discourse of the party not the best player. After each major party, there are many tales of Nigeria football.

Chelsea, however, has the total control of the mass, the lower class, street kids, the car dealers, unemployed youth and street urchins known poplularly Children as a Zone of metropolitan Lagos, Nigeria. They are more numerous, they are fanatical in their support Chelsea, and are even willing to die for the team.

Whenever man faces Chelsea in U of a great game, there is tension in Lagos, even the day before the match. The UEFA Cup final in 2007 or 2008 (not sure of the year now) between Man U and Chelsea has been a storm in a teacup in Lagos.

Seven days before the match, the tension was palpable in Lagos. Who will win the match? The big question raised intense debates around the city and sometimes resulted in fights before the match between Man U and Chelsea fans in Nigeria. sports papers has increased the pace, as soaked fans from both clubs with interviews, news and rave preparation of the clubs, players, gym and late strategies.

Man U will win, we Man U for life! Supporters Club are singing to the chagrin of the Chelsea fans Chelsea respond aloud Up! Chelsea Fans in Lagos, more than men U champions of life. The Chelsea fans are everywhere in the streets, markets and fleets. More than 80 percent of commercial bus drivers are fans of Chelsea Lagos. And they are very strong. They can throw all the precautions and control everywhere with bottles, stones, hazardous materials, especially if they are high on the smell of snuff and alcohol.

Not with Man U fans. They are more cultured, better educated and work in blue collar and white collar. They are more gentle and refined in their behavior, football fan, but also support Man U, hence the slogan, Man U for life, a clear indication that they are not willing to change their European club of brand loyalty, if the Man is winning or not. And in many cases, Man U win.

Back to the epic final Man U / Chelsea. Twenty-four hours for the match, the entire city of Lagos has been drowned by gambling fever. There were unconfirmed reports of clashes between fans both clubs in different parts of Lagos. Bus drivers and conductors were beaten, radio stations rent the air with the pre-game reviews and interactive programs for listeners to express their views on the outcome of the match.

Man U vs Chelsea was so thick in the air that many residents hoped the game come and go. game day, fans crowded clinics and beer halls to watch the game. If want to enjoy the exhibition of European football championship in Nigeria, do not see at home. Go to a display center and sit with overzealous fans and listen all kinds of stories and analysis that the game progresses. You can write a book full of such stories. football stories is high in Nigeria.

It is the story a fan of Manchester United at home in Lagos, Nigeria seeing the latest epic football game with Chelsea. Suddenly there was a blackout. You do not have a backup generator electrical supplies to your TV. Desperate not to miss any action in the game, rushed into a hotel that has an observation. Unfortunately the place was populated by Chelsea fans.

He broke into the center, shouting Man U for life. Chelsea fans quickly expelled. Man U went on to win that match to the dismay of fans of Chelsea. Oh Hell is almost thrown in the metropolis of Lagos. Man U fans celebrated, albeit more slowly moderate as Chelsea fans has not delivered to the load. While many blame the fans of Chelsea. Oh The referee was biased, it was not enough overtime Didier Drogba has not played quite well, critical of both, but the fact is that Man U has won on penalties after both teams tied at the end of overtime.

Come see the celebrations by fans of Man U Three days later, they were still held. Even married women joined the fray. One woman, a supporter Man U and opened his restaurant offers customers, fans of the man called U, Free drinks. Fever Man U is very high in Nigeria. To say that Chelsea fans have been disappointed … … that is of public utility … bitter … Yes, it was the first time, I said, his beloved club has become very close to winning the UEFA Cup. And they have lost.

Even the support of European clubs were left with families, sometimes disturbing the peace at home, creating friction among children and creates challenges for parents in managing the maintenance of European football clubs

Take the story of my family of four children (aged 17, 15 and 10) and a daughter who is five, and I know to any club. Chidubem my first child is a supporter of Liverpool fans. Entering your room you will see a sample of the large image when the whole Liverpool team stuck in the wall. The second child, Chibuzor, is a fanatical supporter of Barça. I had never heard the name. When asked what club is that he hastened to say: "Dad, you're late," a chuckle. "Who Is the club, I asked in amazement." The Barcelona Barça media, he replied: "My son taught me that. I'm being. Chika the younger boy loves Chelsea.

Each time your team favorite win or lose, come see the excitement in my house. It could be joy, whether it is a victory, or ridicule other brothers, if a loss. If the match between Liverpool, Barca or Chelsea, who are struggling at home, so seriously that sometimes threaten me with disciplinary action if they continue to disrupt peace in the home. The Chika younger boy is always the receiving end. If Liverpool win at Chelsea or Barca, the child is struggling. older siblings may even intimidate him or her mother if I was not there. On one occasion, ran after him to fight, and ran toward me, running for the rescue. I did. If Chelsea lose, Oh! Come see the fun of older siblings. In this situation, Chika generally calm, assuring that Chelsea will win another day. Such is the impact of European football Nigerian families, sometimes family members polarization.

This is not just European clubs are held in Nigeria. The players are highly revered. Great names like Didier Drogba, David Beckham, Thanks, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and many others are revered. They're not just football brands in Nigeria, that are idols. Nigeria's youth are viewed as status symbols and models. The average teenager Nigeria has large pictures of European football superstars caught in their rooms. Nigerian Youth on the movement and transfer rates in European football stars much more than just football in Nigeria is also offered to play in clubs Europeans.

The history of European football brands is not just for play. He is also business. People Gamble before games, some even going in Paris. counseling centers are springing up around Lagos equipped with flat screen TV and wireless channels of cable television. devices party slates are shown in planted on the sidewalks of the street to the attention of passersby. These centers charge a door for football fans who want to watch the games.

Some hotels and reception facilities have joined the fray to show these meetings to attract more sponsorship. Many of them days party to put the flat screen TV sets in the open for free display. However, every employer is required to watch the game to buy drinks.

But the clinics are running into trouble today with DSTV, Cable TV company in Africa, which has the right to vote to send those matches on the African continent. DSTV is that clinics have to pay taxes or fees to the company because the money they charge football fans to match. The position of the company cable is that it is a channel for home entertainment subscribers, and if all costs money to head the vision, the person or company has to pay something for DSTV. Consultation Centers are crying poor, saying the restriction on bankruptcy. A showdown is imminent.

In addition, many sports memorabilia … Shirts … Photos … Wallpaper … advertising gifts and other consumer goods sporting stars of European football and their clubs are sold in Nigeria. It's a great thing. And there are many magazines devoted exclusively to soccer. They come in different shades of the tabloids, are less expensive than major newspapers, and are very popular for the love of youth football to follow the fate of their favorite players and clubs. However, Loyalty Club does not stop them to love a player, and sometimes they want a player like sign-on to their favorite clubs. Thank you, the young Barcelona player is loved by the youth of Nigeria. They like their small size and smart moves in the field. Young Nigerians believe that this guy talented Argentina football sense. The same goes for Ronaldinho.

And then, when you look at European football in the air, fever is very high in Nigeria.

About the Author

Eric Okeke received MBA (Marketing) from ESUT Business School, Enugu, Nigeria. He is an editor, storyteller and media consultant.
He started journalism at The Guardian, Lagos, Nigeria. He is author of “I Want A Husband”, a self-help book for single women searching for Mr. Right. Email him at, ericosamba@yahoo.com

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