Kano Pillars’ fan base, untapped goldmine

When Pillars battled city rivals, Barau FC last Sunday in the second round of what is now known in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) as “Kano Derby,” the iconic Sani Abacha Stadium was packed to the rafters with vibrant supporters of both clubs. It was more than just a football match, it was a […]

When Pillars battled city rivals, Barau FC last Sunday in the second round of what is now known in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) as “Kano Derby,” the iconic Sani Abacha Stadium was packed to the rafters with vibrant supporters of both clubs. It was more than just a football match, it was a gathering of the most enthusiastic football fans in Nigeria who defied the scorching sun to play the vital role of the “12” man in the stands.

It is an open secret that when Pillars play at the Sani Abacha Stadium, the atmosphere is usually legendary. The teeming nature of the fans often means the stadium is filled to its 16,000 capacity hours before kickoff. For visiting teams, the wall of sound and the sea of yellow and green can be genuinely intimidating. So, even as the NPFL week 29 encounter was a local derby, the fans of Pillars outnumbered those of Barau FC, a testament to why they are called “masu gida’.

Propelled by their teeming supporters, Kano Pillars eventually defeated Barau FC 1-0 to take back their pound of flesh for the 0-1 defeat inflicted on them by the “Maliya boys” in the first leg of the emerging football rivalry in the city of Kano.

The legendary Ahmed Musa emerged the hero once again as he broke the deadlock in the 57th minute to send the ecstatic fans into wild celebrations. But it was a close contest that kept the fans on the edge of their seats throughout the duration of the match.

Without a doubt, the spectacle that was witnessed during the match will linger for a long time in the memories of lovers of the Nigerian league. However, one thing that continues to worry many football followers is the failure of Kano Pillars’ management to effectively convert the fan’s passion into revenue. The World over, football clubs generate revenue from fans who purchase tickets to watch matches, but in the Nigerian league, this rarely happens, as most times, gates are thrown open just to entice unwilling fans.

This bad habit has persisted because most clubs in the NPFL are sponsored by state governments. In other climes, the government only provides facilities as ownership and sponsorship of clubs is left to individuals, corporate organisations and communities. Once this happens, those who own such clubs invent ways to raise money for the day-to-day running of the clubs. In the NPFL, the reverse is the case as the conduit pipes called government clubs know that they have a steady source of money – monthly allocations from the government.

So, the thrust of this article is to encourage Kano Pillars and other clubs in the NPFL to cultivate the good habit of exploring other avenues to generate revenue and reduce over-dependence on funding from the government. Honestly, a club like Kano Pillars has no business depending solely on government’s money because their fans alone can meet more than half of their financial obligations. The club’s fan base is a goldmine waiting to be tapped.

Although Pillars may not have the capacity to engage in sophisticated methods like tiered ticketing, whereby the club can provide VIP or hospitality sections for fans to pay a premium for better views, cushioned seats and refreshement, it can deploy the traditional match day revenue generation method of selling tickets at the gate to the fans. Without a doubt, if tickets are sold at affordable prices, the fans would be willing to purchase them in order to watch their favourite players.

Apart from the sale of tickets on match days, the management of Pillars can offer unique stadium experiences to the fans by way of match day programmes. Clubs that want to increase their revenue usually produce booklets containing stats and stories, which are sold to the fans on match days. They also offer stadium tours on non-match days.

It is doubtful if Pillars’ management knows that with the huge fan base at its disposal, the club’s logo is an invaluable asset or commodity. By selling its authentic jerseys, scarves, caps and even “retro” kits, the club can make millions of naira from the enthusiastic fans, who want to identify with Kano Pillars on a daily basis.

Moreover, when a club can prove that it has 50,000 active fans, it can easily charge corporate bodies like banks, telecommunication companies like MTN, Globacom, and beverage companies much higher fees for jersey sponsorship or pitch-side advertising. There is no doubt that Pillars’ fan base, which cuts across the country, can easily entice the brands to do business with the club.

Unfortunately, instead of harnessing the potential in the fan base for financial autonomy, Pillars are still running to the Kano State Government cap in hand for funding. As it is said in local parlance, what the club is looking for in Sokoto is right inside its Shokoto. Many people feel that the fans of Pillars have become a threat to the existence of the club because they are not meaningfully engaged. The fans are passionate about the club, no doubt, but they need someone to make them understand that being a true fan of the club goes beyond cheering the team to victories.

It is, indeed, disturbing that even as football or sports generally has transitioned from recreation into a money-making venture, Nigerian clubs are still entertaining fans for free. As a matter of fact, Kano Pillars will be reducing the value of legends like Ahmed Musa and Rabiu Ali “Pele,” if they allow fans to watch them play without paying anything. These players are like precious articles with high commercial value. Any fan who wants to watch them live should be made to pay. Even organisers of amateur football competitions in our villages ensure that fans pay to watch the local champions.

Therefore, NPFL clubs must take official merchandising and sponsorship drives more seriously. They must put on their thinking caps to invent ways to raise additional money to manage their affairs without depending heavily on the state governments.

Apart from Kano Pillars, other NPFL clubs that usually attract capacity crowds to their matches are Wikki Tourists, 3SC, Katsina United, Kwara United, Enyimba, Enugu Rangers, Niger Tornadoes, and even Nasarawa United. Unfortunately, most of these clubs don’t boast of any reasonable revenue from gate takings because they still offer free-of-charge football matches. This unfortunate situation can be blamed on poor marketing strategies and the fallen standard of the domestic league.