The English Premier League also known as EPL is the top-level football league in England. Many have argued on it being the most-watched football league in history. This is not far from being true seeing their large fan base in various countries, Nigeria inclusive. In this article, we will be discussing why Nigerians love the English Premier League on Nigerian Youth and the impact of EPL on them. In addition, the game of football and the Nigerian youths will be looked into.
The English Premier League (EPL)
The Premier League is the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football League.
It is a private company in which the 20 member clubs that make up the league at any football season act as shareholders. The seasons go from August to May and each team plays 38 games (play the other 19 teams at home and away). Most games are held on Saturdays and Sundays in the afternoon.
Since its creation, the Premier League has 47 English clubs and two Welsh clubs, which makes it a cross-border league. However, each club is independent of the others and also, follows the rules of football, as defined by the Premier League, FA, UEFA, and FIFA, and is subject to the laws of England and Europe.
As said earlier, each of the 20 clubs is a shareholder of the Premier League. The consultation is at the heart of the Premier League and shareholder meetings are the final decision forum for Premier League policy and are held at regular intervals throughout the season.
The Premier League AGM takes place at the end of each season. At that time, relegated clubs transfer their shares to the clubs promoted in the Premier League from the Football League Championship.
Clubs have the opportunity to propose new rules or amendments at the shareholders meeting. Each member club is entitled to one vote and all-important changes in the rules and commercial contracts require the approval of at least two-thirds of the votes, that is, 14 clubs.
The Game Of Football And Nigerian Youths
Football is the most popular sporting activity in Nigeria. It is one sporting activity you can say that is generally accepted. This acceptance can be seen and felt in several ways.
The viewership and followership football games enjoy in Nigeria is way above those other sporting activities like basketball, wrestling, tennis, golf, and so on enjoy.
Also, the media; printing media, broadcasting media, internet; is not left out as it is one of the tools that have made this possible.
The Nigerian youths love for football is seen in the way they support not just the local Nigerian Professional Football League, African Cup of Nations but also foreign leagues.
Some of the Foreign leagues that have enjoyed massive support from the Nigerian youths include but not limited to:
For the purpose of this article, we will be focusing on the English Premier League and the Nigerian youths and the impact the game has on them; both positive and negative effects.
English Premier League And Nigerian Youths
The English Premier League is one football league that has enjoyed acceptance and love from Nigerians; teenagers, youth and the elderly.
From the passion, zeal, precision and skill with which football presenters broadcast and run commentary to newspaper and magazine print increase the love and interest of the spectators for football.
It influences the viewers to identify with a club as a fan or supporter. These viewers, most especially youths follow up the matches from the beginning to the end of the EPL in their homes or through pay-per-view centres scattered all across the nooks and crannies of the country.
The viewing centres have increased tremendously since the beginning of the 21st century when more cable television networks centred into the business with a fairly affordable subscription.
Viewers, in turn, are proud to identify as fans of their chosen clubs at the viewing centres, institution, social media or wherever EPL is discussed.
They show their unflinching support and lover for their clubs by displaying their knowledge of the club’s history, prayer’s profile, creation of mini-fans club with their club’s slogan and to mention but a few. However, these acts sometimes lead to conflict.
Using a mini-survey I took, we are going to look at why Nigerians love the English Premier League, and also, the positive and negative impact the EPL has on them.
Why Do Nigerians Love English Premier League
As we know there are different strokes for different folks and this applies to the reason why Nigerians love the EPL. To get the opinions of people, I took a quick survey with some persons on my contact list and I got various interesting replies from them.
Note: I will be quoting some with their names after getting due permission to do so.
I love the EPL because it’s football.
Growing up, I was surrounded by talks of football but it wasn’t like its voluntarily you like watching it. Its a sense of belonging you know
As time goes it turns out to be something i love….and want to be part of
Anonymous
I love the EPL because I support a team that plays in the EPL.
The fun and excitement,
Very unpredictable league as it has proven to be over the years (it’s only in the EPL you can pick up to six teams that will be in contention for the title).
Ebhomien Victor Osehotue
The thrill
The suspense
The fact that it’s so unpredictable
The fact that it is football
Ricahard Nwaokocha
Its unpredictable u cant predict who wins d next game
Anonymous
It is the most competitive league, you can’t predict it
Anonymous
I love the commentary and picture quality
Emmanuel Ogaga Umukoro
I love EPL because of the drama
Ezekiel Obayehagweme
EPL is very competitive, England is an English speaking country, in fact, I started watching ball liking man u and EPL
Gospel Nwadioha
Football is a beautiful game. The EPL happens to be the most popular
Bryan Ohaka
I love it because it helps relieve the mental stress
Akujiobi Noble
The Impact Of The English Premier League on Nigerian Youth
The impact of sporting activities in society cannot be overemphasized. According to the United Nations (2003), Sport can be described as all forms of physical activity that contributes to physical fitness, mental wellbeing and social interaction.
Sport can bring about peace among nations, communities, institutions, in the streets, market places and so on. It has a way of bringing together people from different religions and ethnic groups, gender, age groups, the rich and the poor, educated and uneducated to make a similar contribution, share opinions and a lot more
However, it can also cause anger, hate, fights when there are disagreements. In other words, sporting activities can be an agent of unity as well as discrimination.
Narrowing it down to the English Premier League (EPL); a football game that also forms part of Sport, is not exempted from these positive and negative influence on Nigerian Youths.
Still based on the survey carried out, we will also consider the opinions of these Nigerian Youths.
EPL makes for a good pastime. It brings people together and creates unity among strangers.
Also, the joy it gives, makes people healthier through the release of happy hormones in the brain.
Unfortunately, the love for EPL causes addiction and all that comes with addiction to it.
For instance, spending unnecessarily for it, gambling over what would happen in it, giving it more attention than it actually deserves.
Ricahard Nwaokocha
If i want to deliberate on the positive impact; it has brought youths closer together and also,have the unity…. however, it’s not an immense positive impact but it is what it is.
Negative is the betting aspect. And football shouldn’t really be blamed for that
Anonymous
It has a cool positive effect for me, it keeps me busy. Each week they don’t play EPL football, I’m not always myself.
I really felt happy last weekend watching EPL matches.
FPL is another area PL is giving back to their fans all over the world.
Gospel Nwadioha
I think the effects are more positive than negative.
EPL helps many guys take their minds off heart break and their jobs. It also brings joy watching other teams lose and yours win; the trolling. People buy drinks and give out money just because their club won.
I think the negative is the gambling part.
Ezekiel Obayehagweme
It has a positive effect.
It can be used as a channel to drive whatever one wants because a lot of people watch it. In terms of Advertising, Influencing, blogging, reaching people, etc
For example, someone who wants to introduce a new business can be creative enough by using football to get people.
E.g. offering to take 10 lucky people on all expense paid trip to view their favorite club live in England.
For the negative effect: Addiction. Gang fights, etc
Bryan Ohaka
Positive Impact: The Fun, the vibes and the Enthusiaism of seeing your best players every weeks makes you become so commited to the course of every Saturday and Sunday palava.
Negative Impact : Misplacement of prioirities .
Noble Akujiobi
The EPL builds interaction and create relationships. It is a temporary form of happiness and joy if u re on the winning side. in addition, it unites people from all nook and cranny, and a lot more.
However, the negative effect I can pinpoint is the expense at which we go to watch football. At times we borrow money to watch, go at late at night to watch. Also, we bet our money hoping to win and most times end up loosing.
Ebhomien Victor Osehotue
However, before we go further, I asked a friend a question in line with the topic and I got a very interesting reply.
Question
Let’s look at this scenario; you are a student and you have an Exam(your core course) tomorrow morning.
Coincidentally, your EPL club has a crucial game this evening. You have all the resources (light, tv, cable) to watch the football and read for your exam, what will you do?
Note: You have not really read for tomorrow’s paper (you are not also a night class lover) and your guys who you share a flat with will surely watch the football(you have your own room where you can read without being distracted).
Answer
Lol… if I’m putting myself in this position then I will definitely watch the match.
Reason being that I’d have definitely reread before the actual day of my exam.
But if you’re asking if Nigerian youths put football before studies, it’s because the system does not actually encourage youths to aspire more. Ask most final year students nowadays only a few depend on the government to get them good jobs(if it’s possible) when the come out with good credit scores.
The system makes Nigeria youths who they’ve grown to be right now. Corruption has promoted crimes among youths. So we’re actually just looking for something to take the edge off thinking how frustrated we are hence Football😅
EPL is fun and a good way to forget your troubles. I look forward to it and always make time for it… sometimes skipping more important things.
Emmanuel Ogaga Umukoro
Conclusion
From the write up above, we can say that the English Premier League just like every other football game is a beautiful sporting activity that fosters unity among people. It brings about joy, happiness and is also a form of relaxation.
Businesses, media houses are not left out as they make profits by ensuring that lovers of this EPL get updates and get the best service.
However, since it is a game played among various teams disagreements are bound to happen among fans of opposing teams. It also leads to addictions.
Nevertheless, as a fan or viewer, I encourage you to make good use of the positivity EPL brings and try to curb, if not entirely avoid the negative ones.
Finally, if you do not watch the English Premier League or football in general, become a fan of any club and you will see how much fun you have been missing.
Amazing
thanks for acknowledging our little effort