On a quiet Thursday evening, seeking respite from the day’s demands, this writer took to the streets of X (formerly known as Twitter) to find solace.
Amidst the digital chatter, a tweet from the Ghana Football Association captured attention. It appeared to herald a commendable stride in the Ghanaian women’s premier league. However, as this writer delved deeper into the tweet, an unexpected revelation awaited – a chorus of disappointment screaming from the comment section. What was the source of such dismay?
The tweet featured images of the Ghana FA presenting official branded match balls to various Women’s Premier League clubs in anticipation of the forthcoming Ghana Women’s Premier League season. To this writer, as a Nigerian, it seemed like a positive move the GFA was taking towards enhancing the branding of their women’s league.
However, the comment section revealed a vastly contrasting sentiment. The expressions of disillusionment stemmed from the fact that the simple act of delivering match balls to team officials was being celebrated as news. A stark contrast emerged – memories of a past occurrence resurfaced, where the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) used a UEFA Champions League match ball during a matchday. This writer also remembers the branded balls of the Qatar 2022 World Cup used at the NPFL Super Six.
Recollections stirred of Davidson Owumi, once at the helm of the now-defunct IMC, heralding a partnership with Select Sports to craft match balls for a preceding season.
“The next stage is the branding of these balls. We plan to domesticate them to suit our product.” Owumi affirmed.
These statements echoed in January 2023, yet by August 2023, the anticipated branded match ball remains a mystery.
In light of this, it seems pertinent to implore the league organizers to prioritize the procurement of branded match balls for the approaching season – a start to the season shrouded in uncertainty. A fitting reminder emerged of the NPFL’s past possession of branded match balls, a concept that waned with time.
When the NPFL with more sponsors can attain this minimal feat, a similar aspiration for the Nigerian Women’s Football League (NWFL) should become a logical pursuit.