Football is the most watched sport in the world, in fact two of football’s major competitions, the FIFA world cup and the UEFA champions’ league, are largely seen as the most watched sporting events in the world. Nigerians are sports enthusiasts and the major sport watched by Nigerians is football.
At least 3 out of every 5 male Nigerians watch sports, significantly football, and 2 out of these 3 go to football viewing centers around them to watch and also relax themselves. Some also go as a result of their inability to afford cable subscription in their home while some go to such centers to meet up with friends and fellow club supporters.
With the above statistics, it is evident that starting up your own viewing center business will churn out a lot of profit.
In most areas of the country, the amount to watch a single match is about N200, if a viewing center can seat one hundred people, the owner will be making about N20,000 every match. Usually at weekends, multiple matches are shown, as many as three to four matches per day, if the owner makes N20,000 per match, he will be making about N60,000 to N80,000 in one day. Sometimes, especially when the UEFA champion’s league is ongoing, matches are also shown during the week, spelling more income for the center owner. At the end of the month, after removing money spent for maintenance and cable television bills, the owner will still take home more than N120,000 depending on the location of the business.
However, it’s important the center is sited in a place where the population requires such services. Statistics show that youth are more likely to watch matches at a viewing center than older citizens, so obviously your best bet at siting your viewing center will be an area with a large number of youth.
In addition, you need a place that is secure, both during matches and when the place is void of human presence. There is always a tendency for miscreants to cause fights at a viewing center, vandalizing of property, and other vices, these can be avoided if the viewing center is sited in a place characterized by maximum security.
Further more, According to Adeyeye Olanipeku, a football viewing center owner, the capital required to set up a viewing center in Nigeria depends on your budget, location, and available space for operation. However, to get started, one needs at least N2 million.
