Clubs Drag NBBF To Sponsor -DStv To Intervene In Sharing Formula Face-off By Phillips Tayo The lingering sponsorship percentage sharing imbroglio between Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF) and Atlantic Conference club owners has taken a new dimension as the affected teams have lodged an official complaint with the league sponsor-Dstv. The face-off nearly stalled the just concluded Atlantic Conference play-off in the domestic basketball league, but the sponsor has now been approached for a meaningful resolution of the issue. This is coming hot on the heels of the strong stances of the federation failing to pay the agreed percentages earlier outlined for the clubs at the commencement of the season. SportsDay reliably gathered from an authoritative source that DStv has now been informed of the latest crisis within the league, which the clubs say is a move to avert a stalemate in the play-off finals in Lagos, which has been rescheduled for September 6 The source disclosed: “I can tell you authoritatively that we have lodged a complaint with the DStv management who promised to compel the federation to pay us the agreed sum for the conferences finalists which is 450 thousand naira per team as was outlined and agreed where this crisis of 60-40% sharing formula was going when the league commences. “Now, we have been able to qualify for the conference play-offs, the story now changed. We’re taking the battle to some higher body because we can be at the whims and caprice of some fellows anymore.” Shielding more light on the development, it was revealed that the federation’s excuse for not fulfilling the payment obligation is that they have committed huge resources for the male senior national team, D’Tigers programmes, vis-à-vis their participation in the Stankovic Intercontinental Championship and the USA camping spell in Orlando, a development which was described as a way of justifying their ill-advised decision The source continued: “Their main reason is that they are preparing for the upcoming FIBA Afrobasket Championship in Abidjan with D’Tigers going to China and their US Camping. “Is the league money then to use and denied the stakeholders their rights after a tight season with more games and huge expenses? “This is an indication that the federation need to expand their revenue base and not relying on the league sponsorship funds for their programmes. “Few clubs owners are in for a fight this time because we can’t sit and watch some individuals take our game into their hands. Let them give us our entitlements as the fate of the eventual winners prize-money hangs in the air with this current scenario.” Mark Mentors, Kano Pillars, Union Bank and Dodan Warriors basketball clubs are the four teams expected at the national finals, from which the season’s champion will emerge.
Posted on: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 17:47:04 +0000
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