Marketing & Sponsorship

Eunisell Gold Boot: A Call For Fairness And Partnership

In a move that has sparked heated debate within the Nigerian football community, the Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Gbenga Elegbeleye, publicly criticized the Eunisell Gold Boot Award, describing its sponsor as “unscrupulous.” He went further, alleging “ambush marketing” and a lack of recourse to the NPFL’s rights as asset owners.

This strong reaction raises several critical questions: What is the real motive behind the Eunisell Boot? Does it truly qualify as ambush marketing? And perhaps more importantly, is the NPFL missing a golden opportunity to embrace a long-term partner committed to promoting Nigerian football?

Let’s take a closer, more balanced look.

Understanding the Eunisell Boot

Initiated in 2018, the Eunisell Boot Award is an annual recognition presented to the highest goal scorer in the NPFL.

The reward includes ₦200,000 per goal scored and a gold-plated boot—a symbolic and financial motivation for excellence on the pitch. The sponsor, Eunisell, is a respected Nigerian company with a longstanding footprint in the football ecosystem.

According to Chika Ikenga, the Group Managing Director of Eunisell:

“The Eunisell Boot is not just an award; it’s our long-term commitment to rewarding hard work and developing Nigerian football.”

This vision speaks volumes. It aligns with the broader goal of improving the NPFL’s appeal, spotlighting top talents, and drawing corporate interest to the league. What’s more, Eunisell’s investment is not limited to the award—they have been sponsoring NPFL clubs since 2015, including Sharks FC, Rivers United, and Abia Warriors. This sustained involvement reveals a sincere desire to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the sport.

The Allegation of “Ambush Marketing”

Gbenga Elegbeleye’s allegation of ambush marketing suggests that Eunisell sought to gain undue mileage from the NPFL without proper authorization. However, we must ask: does giving a player-focused award, independently funded and widely appreciated, truly infringe on the NPFL’s rights?

There are global precedents that put this into perspective:

The Ballon d’Or, the world’s most prestigious individual football award, is independently organized by France Football. It operated for years in collaboration with FIFA, yet continues independently without the global body’s sanction.

The Pichichi Trophy, awarded to La Liga’s top scorer, is organized by Marca, a Spanish newspaper—not by La Liga itself.

These examples show that independent awards can co-exist with official league activities, often boosting the profile of the leagues and players involved.

The Bigger Picture: Growth Through Collaboration

Rather than viewing the Eunisell Boot as a threat, the NPFL should see it as an asset. In a landscape where corporate sponsorship is hard to come by, Eunisell stands out as a loyal stakeholder with a track record of credible engagement. Attacking such an initiative—especially close to its ninth edition—sends the wrong signal to potential sponsors.

Instead of issuing threats and reportedly instructing the 2025 recipient, Anas Yusuf, not to honour the ceremony, the NPFL could have opted for a more diplomatic route. If there were any concerns about rights or procedures, these could have been addressed privately or through constructive dialogue.

Awards like the Eunisell Boot add glamour, motivation, and visibility to the league. It provides tangible incentives to players and highlights the league in the media. Rather than diminish the NPFL’s brand, it complements it.

A Call for a Progressive Mindset

The NPFL leadership must adopt a broader, more progressive view. Responsible entities like Eunisell should be welcomed as partners in the ongoing project of revitalizing Nigerian football—not vilified. At a time when the league is still seeking a headline corporate sponsor, those who have stood by the NPFL in leaner times should be embraced, not alienated. This is not the time to burn bridges.

Conclusion

The Eunisell Boot Award is not an act of ambush—it is an act of support. It is a legacy-building project from a responsible Nigerian company genuinely interested in uplifting the game. Rather than reject it, the NPFL should explore ways to formalize the relationship and align the award with the league’s broader branding goals.

Let’s not throw away the baby with the bathwater.

It’s time to rewrite the wrong and move forward in the spirit of collaboration, not confrontation. The future of Nigerian football will depend not just on talent on the pitch, but on maturity in its boardrooms.

Sports247.ng

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Marketing & Sponsorship

Rangers, Alliance Française Boost Female Players’ Education

In a groundbreaking initiative that blends sports with education, Rangers International FC have launched a partnership with the Alliance Française Education and Cultural Centre in Enugu to provide French language training for members of their newly established women’s team.

The move, described as a major step toward holistic player development, is the brainchild of Rangers’ General Manager, Amobi Ezeaku, and aligns with the club’s vision of building well-rounded athletes.

Unveiled during a courtesy visit to Alliance Française on Thursday, the collaboration seeks to equip the players with essential language skills to boost their chances of international success and ease cultural integration abroad.

“We want to go beyond just training on the pitch. This initiative is about sharpening the mental capacity of our players,” said Ezeaku. “Learning a new language, especially French, will prepare them for challenges they may encounter in foreign environments.”

The initiative is seen as part of the two-year-old management’s wider strategy to revolutionize women’s football within the club and across Nigeria.

Director of Alliance Française, Enugu, Mrs. Ijeamaka Ezeilo, commended the club’s forward-thinking approach, describing it as “a bold step that could redefine the development of women’s football in Nigeria.”

“This partnership is not just about language. It’s about raising the intelligence and global readiness of these young women. It is a mission we are committed to seeing through,” Ezeilo said.

She added that the project will also contribute to the broader societal goal of empowering the girl-child through education, promising to lead the process to a meaningful and lasting outcome.

This partnership signals a refreshing shift in Nigerian football, emphasizing not just physical training but also intellectual empowerment, especially for women athletes who have often been marginalized in developmental programs.

As Rangers International FC set a new standard, this could inspire other clubs across the country to rethink their approach to player development.

Sports.ng

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Marketing & Sponsorship

8th AFC Medical Conference Secures Aspetar Partnership

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced Aspetar Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Hospital as the Premier Partner for its 8th AFC Medical Conference, which will be held from July 21 to 25, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Aspetar, a FIFA and AFC accredited Medical Centre of Excellence, is a global leader in sports medicine and science, and has been a long-standing supporter of the AFC, collaborating on several landmark medical projects over 15 years.

The AFC Medical Conference, launched in 1995 in Tokyo, is a platform for knowledge exchange among medical professionals, researchers, and football stakeholders.

AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John said: “The AFC is proud to welcome Aspetar as a Premier Partner of the 8th AFC Medical Conference, as we continue our pursuit of the highest standards in football medicine across Asia.

“Aspetar has consistently led the way in athlete care, not just within the context of Asia, but also as a respected institution in the global sports medicine community.”

The Kuala Lumpur Conference will cover artificial intelligence in sports medicine, muscle injuries in football, insights from the FIFA World Cup 2022, sports dentistry, and high-performance rehabilitation, as well as explore emerging areas such as genomics and women’s football.

Dr. Abdulaziz Jaham Al-Kuwari, CEO of Aspetar and a member of the Conference’s Organising and Scientific Committee, said: “As a member of the organising and scientific committee, I am proud to help shape a programme that integrates cutting-edge research, clinical innovation, and practical applications to foster collaborative solutions addressing the unique challenges faced by athletes today.”

Insideworldfootball.com

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Marketing & Sponsorship

Spur Announces Partnership With Sharp Corporation

Tottenham Hotspur is delighted to announce a partnership with Sharp Corporation for our summer pre-season tour of Asia.

The partnership will see AQUOS – Sharp’s smartphone and television brand – promoted across the Club’s digital platforms during the tour, bringing its highly-innovative products to a global audience of over 125 million.

Promotional campaigns will take place in Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Indonesia to strengthen the appeal AQUOS – renowned for delivering high-definition visuals that create an immersive experience.

Hiroyuki Shimizu, Division Manager, Product Planning Department, Mobile Communication BU, Sharp Corporation said: “We are very pleased to announce our partnership with Tottenham Hotspur. AQUOS has long enriched people’s lives with beautiful visuals and advanced technology. By supporting Spurs’ pre-season tour, we will work together to create unforgettable moments for their passionate fans across Asia.

“Through this partnership, AQUOS embraces and shares Tottenham Hotspur’s spirit of ‘To Dare Is To Do.’ We are committed to accelerating the pursuit of innovation that creates new value and we look forward to delivering the unique appeal of AQUOS to a wider audience.”

Ryan Norys, Chief Revenue Officer, Tottenham Hotspur said: “We are proud to provide Sharp Corporation – another world-renowned, industry leader – with a unique platform to showcase its AQUOS technology to a truly global audience around our highly-anticipated tour of Asia this summer.”

Sharp Corporation has been a contributor to the development of electronics for more than 110 years. Based on the spirit of its founder – “Make products that other companies want to imitate” – the company has been driven to continually develop innovative products and core technologies for consumers around the globe.

Tottenhamhotspur.com

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