By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
ACLSportsACLSportsACLSports
6
Notification Show More
FootballNewsSuper Eagles
Olisa Ndah set for return to action 
17 hours ago
#YourSportsMemoBlogsNewsSuper FalconsWomen's Football
WAFCON 2024 Final Preview: Morocco vs Nigeria
1 day ago
FootballNewsNPFL
NPFL: Nurudeen Aweroro takes over as new 3SC head coach
2 days ago
BlogsFootballWomen's Football
Mission X and its final hurdle of unseen hands
2 days ago
BlogsGrassrootsNews
A sojourner at Voice of Nigeria (VON)
2 days ago
CompetitionFootballNewsNPFL
CHAN2024: Super Eagles B depart for Zanzibar
3 days ago
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • Football
  • Naijaheroes
  • Grassroots
  • Basketball
  • Athletics
  • News
  • More
    • Laughter, Leather & Losses
    • #YOURSPORTSMEMO Podcast
    • Blogs
    • Competition
Reading: African Football and Why Media Coverage Matters
Share
Font ResizerAa
ACLSportsACLSports
Search
  • Home
  • Laughter, Leather & Losses
  • Football
  • Naijaheroes
  • Grassroots
  • Basketball
  • Athletics
  • News
  • #YourSportsMemo
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
ACLSports > Blog > Blogs > African Football and Why Media Coverage Matters
BlogsFootball

African Football and Why Media Coverage Matters

Chuka Onwumechili
Last updated: September 19, 2017 6:51 pm
Chuka Onwumechili
Published: September 19, 2017
Share
As featured on NewsNow: Sport news
Sport News 24/7 

It is not difficult to reach conclusion that mass media coverage of football matters in Africa. At least, not after watching the current coverage by Fox Sports television of the WAFU tournament in Ghana.

There is often the claim that it is quality of football that attracts fans to the game. That cannot be easily denied but a major part of attracting an audience is mass media coverage of the game and the quality of that coverage.

It is what create stars in the minds of people, what helps create rivalry, and what creates the sense of uncertainty and urgency that keep us on the edge of our seats in front of a monitor.

It is not rocket science to understand that the English Premier League’s (EPL) popularity in Africa is closely associated with its accessibility in Africa via massive television coverage.

- Advertisement -

Yes, it is a league with a lot of quality players. There is no denying that fact. After all, who would deny the quality of Eden Hazard, Sergio Aguero, and Paul Pogba or the African stars such as Wilfred Ndidi, Victor Wanyama, and Sadio Mane?

There is also quality football played in Spain, Germany, and Italy and yet they are not as popular as the EPL. Certainly, media coverage has a lot to do with that.

The rising interest in local football such as played this last two weeks in Ghana for the WAFU Cup is significantly about media coverage of the event.

If you carried out a poll today on how much people know about the WAFU Cup, you should not be surprised that a large number will think that the current tournament in Ghana is the first of such tournament. Why? Previous ones have been largely ignored by the media.

Football, today, is largely brought to its followership through the mass media. It is the media that not only inform us of which games are important but also who the stars are.

African football will grow in awareness and popularity through such coverage as we are currently witnessing with the WAFU Cup. It is through such coverage that certain players become household names and become the hook that brings in spectators at the next event.

Those names are already being created at this tournament with the likes of Nigeria’s Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Ghana’s Cobbina. These are talented players that have the quality to attract additional audience. Those additional audiences will certainly make sponsorship of the games increasingly valuable to commercial interests.

There is no question that coverage like this matters for African football. Africa cannot simply depend on televised coverage of the English Premier League or any other European league.

Obituary: Peter ‘Dodo Mayana’ Rufai
Nigeria Women Football League to kick-off in April
Eagles In Europe: Omeruo, Moses, Awoniyi, Agbo amongst the goals
NFF set to tighten purse string, prioritise national teams
Euro2020: The Champions League effect on England
TAGGED:Chuka OnwumechiliFootball blogsFox Sports WAFU
Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Previous Article Neuer undergoes surgery, sidelined till January
Next Article Arsenal’s Welbeck out for weeks
Leave a Comment

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Categories

YourSportsMemo

Latest News

Olisa Ndah set for return to action 
Football News Super Eagles
WAFCON 2024 Final Preview: Morocco vs Nigeria
#YourSportsMemo Blogs News Super Falcons Women's Football
NPFL: Nurudeen Aweroro takes over as new 3SC head coach
Football News NPFL
Mission X and its final hurdle of unseen hands
Blogs Football Women's Football

Stay Connected

FacebookLike
XFollow
InstagramFollow

Archives

Latest News

U20WAFUB: Flying Eagles beaten by Cotê d’Ivoire in final
Age-Group Football Football News
CHAN2024: Defending champions Senegal announce squad
Competition Football News
Champions Remo Stars provide 9 players for CHAN 2024 squad
Competition Football News NPFL

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 14.8K other subscribers
ACLSportsACLSports
Follow US
© ACLSports. All Rights Reserved.
adbanner