Full Sports to repackage Premier League

            The Nigeria Basketball Federation [NBBF] only recently gave Full Sports the right to find sponsors for the Premier League which has been without a sponsor for the past four seasons.

             Full Sports' Chief Executive Babatunde Oguntula told nigeriasports.com in an exclusive interview Wednesday that his firm has already reached out to prospective sponsors and the response has been very encouraging,adding that sponsorship for the Premier League will be sourced from different sectors of the economy.

             He explained:"We have a principled agreement with the NBBF we're still discussing on the terms.Basically our aim is to bring sponsors from the banking sector,the beverage producing sector,insurance,communication and what have you.

             "It would done in such a way that when one sponsor decides to pull out it will not have an adverse effect on running the league.In fact none will pull out because the benefits to be derived are numerous and very good.

              "Basketball is the second biggest sports property in Nigeria that has been left untapped."

               Meanwhile the sponsorship initiative being packaged by Full Sports will not come to fruition untill the 2004-2005 season.This is because there is little time left in the year to prosecute the 2003-2004 season.

               As a stop gap the basketball authorities have decide to run a mini 2003-2004 league for only three months between next month and August .

              "The proper one will run from the last quarter of this year and we're going to resuscitate the inter-conference matches,that is the road games,"said Oguntula.