CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Nigerian youths have formed part of the global followers of the British premier league matches The national media’s specialty at covering and broadcasting the league has been unprecedented. The passion, zeal, accuracy, and dexterity with which presenters of football matches broadcast and run commentary of the premiership and other leagues in nigeria increases viewers’ love and interest for the game of football. Also developed in viewers is the interest to identify with a club side as a fan/supporter. The followership could be compared to that experienced with the Nigerian local football league in the 1970 and mid 80s, which has since been reduced drastically because of poor organization. Apart from the national media, another medium providing Nigerians with the avenue to view live coverage of these matches is the pay per-view centers, scattered all across the nation’s cities. These viewing centers, specializing in providing pay per view services of European football matches, have increased tremendously since the beginning of the 21st century when more cable television net-works entered into the business with fairly affordable subscription rates. Audiences viewing games, plus fanatic support for particular clubs, have increased.
An average Nigerian youth and adult (male and female) are happy to identify as fan of a chosen club side in the british premier league. Visits at these viewing centers will find fans displaying knowledge of clubs history and player’s profiles, as well as mini-fans club (non-formalized club). All members are known and are identified as “our man’ and “our club” showing their unflinching support and love for their chosen club. The dexterity with which Nigerian youths have in support and love for the premier league matches constitute the fundamental basis for this research. The league had in recent times fosters a common front in enhancing cultural and ethnic integration, peace, unity, love, harmony.
However there is the social negative effect such as conflict, youth fraternity,and anti social behaviors.And in recent times many youths have been found spending more times in betting houses than on their studies .In 2006 and 2007, the effects of English premiership on Nigerians (youths and adults alike) took a new dimension when fans began to label streets after particular football club in the English premiership. There was conflict in parts of Lagos and Ibadan, and other parts of the country, which in some cases lead to violence and killings between supporters of different clubs. Is ethnic identity growing from this? On the surface, it seems that the characteristics of ethnicity are observably on the rise.With this picture, one June conclude that football is an instigator in causing conflict and the same time at integrating people a strong point or element in peace and community building. The research therefore intends to provide an assessment on the effect of English premier league matches on Nigerian youths with a case appraisal on nassarawa state university undergraduates.