Across Nigeria and most especially in Lagos, football fans are not happy that their darling clubs are missing in action for too long.
On the streets, the glamour, happiness, zeal and passion football is producing is really lacking. As it is a well known fact for fans now that actions may be off for couple of months more, the frustration have stated to grow in the faces of football lovers.
One set of people that the lock down in football is really telling on are the operators of the pay-view centers.
Football viewing centres are counting in losses following the suspension of major football leagues in Europe to curb the spread of the corona virus. Major leagues that attract viewership which are hard hit by the pandemic like the Premiership, La Liga Serie A, and other leagues with which the viewing centers flourish have announced the suspension of footballing actions.
European football governing body, UEFA, have also suspended the Champions League and Europa League fixtures.
Since the European football enjoy a massive followership, sports247 took to the streets of Lagos, Ojo near Lagos State University, to visit the usually crowded and popular arenas on a Saturday but were totally empty. The owner of one of the biggest viewing centers in the area named Clement opened up to sports247
“ever since the stop of football, business has been very bad. No money, as it is the only source of my livelihood.” when asked how much does he makes every weekend, he said. ” I make close to ten thousand naira every weekend. Excluding the money I make during the week when they play champions league and Europa League.”
Another operator one of the biggest in Iba ‘the arena’ spoke to sprorts247 ” I am not happy with this latest developments around the world. Before they stopped the season, I just subscribed on my satellite TV and that’s a
loss to me. I really wish actions can resume quick enough so I can go back to my business.”
It is understandable that majority of the people running the viewing centers have no other means of livelihood, as they are very eager to go back to business, we also spoke to Friday, a regular visitor to one of the viewing centers in Victory Estate Iba and he said
“this is one of the most boring weekends I have ever experienced. No football on Saturday and Sunday… This is really bad. ”
Akim, a managers of one of the biggest viewing centers in Iba main town also told Sports247 ” I know how many of my customers that have cable television in their various houses but they will choose to come watch football here. They don’t like watching football alone. They love the crowd and the noise coming out from this place and in important matches they fill up this place. That is where the mega box starts rolling in”
