41 clubs woo fans for votes to play maiden NaijaSuper 8 tournament

 

 Forty-One clubs in the country are out for votes by their fans to make it to the inaugural edition of the NaijaSuper 9 Tournament.

It is the first of its kind in Nigeria in with qualification for the playoffs to be decided via a voting process for nominated clubs.

Voting started on Monday, April 10 and is already gathering momentum. It will run through Wednesday, May 10, 2023.

Fans have been urged to vote at the official website: www.naijasuper8.com.

Speaking on a television programme, NaijaMade, on DStv monitored by www.sportbusinessbrand.com, CEO Flykite Productions, Jenkins Alumona said: “it is designed to bring back the fans who will vote for their teams to make it from the six geo-political zones in the country.

“It is a fan engagement process.”

 

 

 

Top clubs like Lobi Stars, Bendel Insurance, Remo Stars and Kwara United are using their Social Media handles to urge fans to vote.

Second tier clubs Sporting Lagos and Ikorodu City are not left out as they have equally been convincing fans to boost their chances of reaching the playoffs by voting.

North Central: 7 Clubs

Lobi Stars (Makurdi, Benue State), Plateau United (Jos, Plateau State), Nasarawa United (Lafia, Nasarawa State), Kwara United (Ilorin, Kwara State), Kogi United (Lokoja, Kogi State), City FC (Abuja), Niger Tornadoes (Minna, Niger State).

North East: 6 Clubs

Adamawa United (Yola, Adamawa State), El-Kanemi Warriors (Maiduguri, Borno State), Gombe United (Gombe, Gombe State), Taraba United (Jalingo, Taraba State), Wikki Tourists (Bauchi, Bauchi State), Yobe Desert Stars (Damaturu, Yobe State).

North West: 7 Clubs

Jigawa Golden Stars (Dutse, Jigawa State), Kaduna United (Kaduna, Kaduna State), Kano Pillars (Kano, Kano State), Katsina United (Katsina, Katsina State), Kebbi United (Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State), Sokoto United (Sokoto, Sokoto State), Zamfara State (Gusau, Zamfara State).

South East: 6 Clubs

Enyimba (Aba, Abia State), Cynosure (Abakaliki, Ebonyi State), Edel (Awka, Anambra State), Heartland (Owerri, Imo State), Abia Warriors (Umuahia, Abia State), Rangers (Enugu, Enugu State)

South South: 7 Clubs

Akwa United (Uyo, Akwa Ibom State), Bayelsa United (Yenagoa, Bayelsa State), Bendel Insurance (Benin-City, Edo State), Rivers United (Port-Harcourt, Rivers State),  Rovers (Calabar, Cross Rivers State), Vandrezzer, Eket, Akwa Ibom), Warri Wolves (Warri, Delta).

South West: 8 Clubs

Shooting Stars Sports Club (Ibadan, Oyo State), Crown (Ogbomosho, Oyo State), Ekiti United (Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State), Ikorodu City (Ikorodu, Lagos), Remo Stars (Ikenne, Oyo State), Smart City (Surulere, Lagos State), Sporting Lagos (Surulere, Lagos State), Sunshine Stars (Akure, Ondo State).

 

Format:

• Two teams from each zone.
• Winner from single match joins winners from other zones &
• Two wildcard teams

 

Calendar:

• First zonal playoffs: June 1 through 3, 2023.

Venue – Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo

• Second stage; June 17 through 25, 2023

Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos

 

Television

• Matches will be live on DStv.

Financial Incentives:

• Each team from the zonal playoffs to receive N2million.
• Each qualified team to receive N3million per match (N9million) for three matches.
• Losing finalists to receive additional N9million.
• Winner to receive N25million

Fans

• Each qualified team has a chance to bring 100 fans to Lagos.