Ekiti State Football Association chairman, Bayo Olanlege has charged club owners in the State to see football as a profitable business.
Olanlege made this call while addressing club owners at the Annual General Assembly of the Bet9ja Ekiti Football League last week in Ado-Ekiti.
He stated that football in the 21st century is a profitable business, different from what it was then when it was limited to street football without applying what is obtainable in the modern day.
“Football is highly commercialized globally,” said the astute football administrator.
“There is a lot of money thrown into football but the issue here is how do you figure out how you can make a significant amount from this unending large pool of money thrown into the football industry.
“How do you harnest all this gains that football brings, it rest on how you define what you really want, football for business or for entertainment or for healthy living.
“As football administrators or organizers, you must begin to look properly at areas of grassroots development because the demand for talented football players is high and clubs can rake in lot of money from players transfers to other bigger teams,” Said Olanlege.
Olanlege further stated that despite the popularity of the sports in the State, it a shame that football clubs have not been able to match some of the top companies in other industries.
“We are not there yet but I believe if you (club owners) take merchandising, corporate sponsorship and ticket sales very important, there will be more money to grow your team and also enjoy the juicy aspect of football business.”
