Team Spirit...

[King]

Does your favorite sports teams have their own mascots and team logos?
Do they have fancy fan apparels and team memorabilia? Well check these sample sketches....

[Muhsin]

A Trade Fair? LOL ;D King. Seems from all indications there are no these clubs football fans in here.

[Ibro2g]

Thats very interesting, I doubt though, if any of these teams exist. On the subject matter, how I wish sports can be emphasised in this country. The football leagues are still poorly funded and marketed, lacking so much in fact. Everyone is busy tryina make money. Sports can be promoted by making colledge soccer leagues and more. I want to talk about this in more detail, maybe when i return... meanwhile, I'll find me a mascot of Katsina United! lol

[Dan-Borno]

King, this advertisement is an excellent one and timely
also.  How much will it cost me per team?

[King]

Very correct Ibro. Sports management is Nigeria is awful. It needs to be totally restructured with a completely different concept. The concept should be about standard and profitability. There is of course the marketing aspect of it which really drives the economic side of it, and if managed properly by skilled sports administrators, everyone stands to benefit financially.

All those T-Shirts up there are not of actually sports teams in Nigeria, but it is a concept I would like to develop in our local sports. It is what we have here in America, and sports merchandising is one of the biggest money makers for sports teams. I want to create mascots and team logos for clubs in Nigeria so that the fan base of different teams can identify with their teams and fellow supporters in great team spirit. Most of all, I am talking about quality materials and excellent logo and mascot designs that just stands out. what you see here are just samples sketches, but the real thing looks a whole lot nicer. You can have team face caps, short and long sleeve custom team t-shirts, socks, and other memorabilia.

Sometime in September this year, I hope to be in Lagos/Abuja for a sports camp event with some scouts from some American colleges looking to possibly recruiting basketball prospects. Apart from being involved with the camp activities, I am hoping to have a display of some of the things I have mentioned here, and perhaps get a chance to speak to some sports organizations about directions that they could explore. We can grow our sports industry, and have our young people constructively engaged in academics and college/professional sports all in Nigeria. It takes work, better planning and vision.

Dan Borno, I will get back to you on price, etc, but more importantly, I want to expand some more on this initiative.

Muhsin, I do know that Kano Pillars use to exist. However, because of poor sports manangement again, sports leagues across the country barely exist, and as a result, sports teams are just not there. It is imperative however that we have qualified people running this industry....people with vision and eyes for growth, standards, quality, innovation, change, etc. As long as bureacracy and favoritism continually meddles in this industry, it'll go nowhere.

[Dave_McEwan_Hill]

Nigeria is capapble of producing a team to win the World Cup as there is huge soccer talent in the country. However according to the reports I read on this forum nothing has improved about sports administration since I left over twenty years ago and it was corrupt and incompetent then, full of people trying to make a quick buck. Nigeria didn't help itself by appointing Berti Vogts as team manager. He is probably the worst soccer manager in the world but I told this forum that when he was appointed. When he was sacked as Scotland manager he had taken Scotland from 21st place in the World rankings to 86th - its lowest ever position. Scotland is now back up to 14th place in the World rankings since we got rid of him. The problem at soccer level is that no good manager will work for the Nigerian FA because of the incompetence and the difficulty having their wages guaranteed. Nigeria should have first class soccer league - the best in Africa.
Does Kano still have the Kano Pillars? I played against them in a practice game at the City Stadium in the 1980s and I coached a young team in the Kano State league for about three years.

[King]

Dave, you are right. Corruption and gross incompetence impedes any possible progress that can be made in the aspect of our national life The Football FA in Nigeria is quite frankly one of the most useless agencies in operation. It comprises of the most incompetent and visionless people, and it is no wonder why Nigerian soccer is always underachieving despite the tremendous talent in and out of the country. Simple proper organization and planning is too much to ask of the NFA. They are always constantly at odds with the coaching staff they hire or the very players they invite for national assaignments. One of the issues has always been about pay for the players. I have no idea why they would want to hassle with professional soccer players (that play in very prestigeous leagues in Europe by the way) over pay.
Aside from that, nothing ever gets done right, there is always communication break down, and to top it off, there is that infighting with the coaching staff that lingers on prior and after any tournament.

The truth is, these people have no business being in soccer management. They've run the sport to the ground, and the only reason why Nigeria is even still mentioned in soccer is because the athletes individually still manage to excel to an extent in their various clubs.

Like I said before, the mentally about we approach this industry needs a complete overhaul. We cannot have unqualified and purposeless beauracrats with flowing Agbadas and no concept making decisions about the future of Nigerian soccer or sports. We need folks that have been on both ends of the game/sport to run the show and make decisions that will not only improve our stock but revolutionize our sports industry as a whole. 

[Ibro2g]

Very true @ both Dave and King. I think if any good thing is gonna happen in Nigerian sports, say soccer, it has to be completely independent of the government. Even in countries where u have superior and/or successful leagues, thier FA's are independent.
King, if u want to bring this business into this country, I say that is very good. But u have to convince alotta investors to sink alotta money that will revolutionalise the industry. Our "bigmen" wid the money dont want to take much risks or such a long term businesses...

I'll check back