If you are new to some of the local
media commentaries on the reputation of the Ghana Premier League (GPL), you may
easily assume that, some commentators have personal problems with the Ghana
Football Association (GFA). Their discourse especially in the electronic media can
get so vitriolic that, you can mistakenly think that, they want to see the GPL
in tatters. They say it’s just passion for the GPL.
Pardon me if this is a naïve
assumption but I’m so doubtful that, there are indeed sections of the local
media, who actually want the GPL and GFA to fail. In my opinion, regardless of
how local media houses pay particular attention to European leagues for all the
good reasons that are usually cited (like the fact that the English Premier
League for instance has massive following in Ghana, so it makes business sense
to spend airtime on it); it’s still undeniable that, a thriving GPL will be very
helpful to the local media.
So, why would the local media
seek the downfall of the failure of the GPL? I have and will continuously hold
the view that, negativity in the GPL has never been the creation of the local
media. Excuse my ignorance; from how I look at things, I’m yet to come across
any local media house that deliberately fabricates and broadcasts negative
stories about the GPL with the sole objective of making it look ugly.
The current season is so young
but we’ve had a healthy competition. As a result, I wouldn’t want to recount specific
examples of incidents that in the past impaired the reputation of the GPL. This
season, despite the court litigation that delayed the start of the GPL, the
Premier League Board (PLB) and the GFA have taken certain pivotal steps to
enhance the GPL’s reputation. Nothing is too small in my view.
The criticism of the beauty of
the GPL’s logo notwithstanding, I was for example happy that, at long last, the
competition was given an identity at that level. Print media houses, online and
television outlets have all been using the GPL logo which leaves an imprint on
the minds of people once they see it.
Broadcast right holders, StarTimes
earlier on created a bit of storm with their live match schedule. Yet
StarTimes’ coverage has been fine. Clubs like Dreams FC, WAFA, Hearts, Inter
Allies, Elmina Sharks and Karela United have been doing decent media coverage
of their activities; that, in my view, is steadily contributing to enhancing
the GPL’s reputation. The local media can only mirror that.
The thought, then, is that, if
club managers with the PLB/GFA will take positive strides at their level; the
tendency for the local media to report the good strides will be high. The onus
therefore lies not really on the local media to create positive GPL stories.
For me, the responsibility rather lies heavily on club managers and the GFA to employ
the right practices in their scheme of things.
The local media has its role but that
doesn’t include running clubs professionally or taking decisions at the GFA. So,
the fussing and fighting over the GPL’s reputation must stop. Nobody hates the
GPL. A decent GPL will benefit clubs, fans, the local media and the GFA.
Major stakeholders like clubs and
the FA must just to sit up. They should direct their energies towards the continuous
adherence, fair and timely enforcement of rules set for the competition. They
should look for professional, innovative ways of managing the brands at their
disposal, because, it’s the aggregation of their individual efforts wherever
they are that combine to enhance the GPL’s reputation.
