LMC & Club Chairmen Make Positive Move For NPL

LMC

After a meeting between the League Management Company (LMC) and Nigeria Premier League (NPL) club chairmen a couple of decisions were taken, it is expected that this new move will affect the league positively if the parties involved adhere to what they agreed.

Below is the details of what was agreed;

DECISIONS REACHED AT THE CONSULTATIVE MEETING OF THE LEAGUE MANAGEMENT COMPANY AND CLUB OWNERS’REPRESENATIVES/CHAIRMEN

1. The meeting was attended by 18 of the pre-qualified 20 Glo Premier League Clubs with Warri Wolves and Nasarawa United the only non-represented Clubs.

2. The meeting considered registration requirements for the 2013/14 League season laudable and timely for meeting of the compliance requirements of the CAF and NFF Club Licensing Regulations which will take effect from November 30, 2014. The appraisal of licensing requirement shall be an annual exercise.

3. That the 2013/2014 Glo Premier League season shall kick-off on the weekend of Friday, February 21 through Saturday, 22 and Sunday 23.

4. That Clubs must provide Bank Guarantee of N100m from an approved bank and financial institution as part of the 2013/14 league season registration requirement.

5. That sign-on fees for players have been abolished from the 2013/14 season and that a players enhanced salary scheme will come on stream with a monthly minimum wage of N150, 000 for the new season and an upward review to N200, 000 to be implemented from the 2014/15 League season.

6. That henceforth, no complaints of non-payment of sign-on fees by players shall be entertained by the LMC. However, all Clubs with outstanding sign-on fee’ indebtedness to players for the 2012/2013 League season have been given one year moratorium to negotiate the liquidation of such debts before the start of the 2014/15 season.

7. That the LMC and the Clubs agreed that short term contracts for players have been abolished and no player shall be offered a contract of less than three years tenure except those who have played for ten seasons or above in the League. Such players who have been offered three years contract can only contemplate a transfer out of the Club after serving a minimum of one year.

8. LMC shall apply relevant sanctions on any Club that approaches a player without first notifying the owner or current Club of such player.

9. Clubs are expected to complete the process of updating and certifying their incorporation as limited liability companies with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) by March 31, 2014 with specific reference to providing particulars of Board of Directors, office address and filing of annual report.

10. That the LMC shall communicate the decisions on incorporation and provision of bank guarantee to the respective state governments that own Clubs.

11. That all Clubs shall provide an undertaken of allegiance to abide by all FIFA, CAF, NFF and LMC rules and regulations.

12. That Clubs administration must be structured to meet the mandatory Management Staff requirement with proof of such appointments.

13. That Clubs owned by governments are expected to have been divested of 30% of government share holding by the commencement of the 2014/15 league season. The Clubs are to provide an undertaken to comply with this condition as part of the registration requirement of the 2013/14 League season

14. That the LMC and Clubs resolved to have increased and equitable television coverage of matches.

15. That LMC shall carry out certification of stadiums and venues to enforce compliance with prescribed standards and those Clubs whose grounds fail to meet the minimum prescribed standards shall be made to play on any other standard ground to be agreed with the Club.

16. That Friday Night Star Games will be held as part of Special Match Fests and there will also be City Double-headers which will see Clubs based in the same city hosting two games in one day.

17. That all other registration requirements still stand and shall be implemented as stated.