Stop playing a day: AFCON, the power of the media and the struggle of Africa for respect

Jamie Carragher’s recent comments about AFCon, it is simply not an “important” tournament, not only ignore, they are a symptom of a much greater problem.

And the real problem here is not just what he said, so he felt comfortable saying it first.

The lack of respect for African football is not new.

We see it in the way in which European clubs doubt in freeing AFCon players, the way BroadCasters gives them secondary coverage, and the way in which the main sponsors do not give it as much money as they do for the euros or the Copa América. And yet, we sat and let it happen.

Then, let’s be realistic: if we do not seriously take our tournaments, if we do not raise our own leagues, our own federations, our own media representation, who will do it?

Why AFCON are missing respect?

Let’s break this. What exactly does an “important” tournament? Is it history?

Because Afcon has been working since 1957, only one year after the euros began. Is the quality of the players?

Because some of the best players in the world, leave, Osimhen, Mahrez, Drogba, Eto’o, Okocha, are all AFCon products. Is it audience? Because AFCON 2021 obtained more than 500 million spectators worldwide.

So what is the criterion?

The hard truth is that global perception is based on media and investment coverage. The euros and the Copa América enjoy billions in sponsorships and associations.

They are marketed to the world as elite tournaments because the people who manage them demand that status. They sell their product as a premium.

Meanwhile, African football is still reactionary, constantly waiting for a seat at the table instead of building our damn table.

Perception of media forms, where is CAF?

This is what bothers me the most: where is CAF in all this? Where is the statement condemning Carragher’s comments?

Where is FIFA in this conversation? Because we do not pretend that this type of comment does not matter.

Soccer experts shape narratives. Young children are looking. The sponsors are looking. The world is looking.

When European football or South American football is missing, their federations respond immediately. UEFA and CONMEBOL control their own stories. But when is African football? Silence.

Why is CAF not going back? Why is there no global public relations campaign that positions AFCon as the main African sporting event? Why are we owners of the African football history instead of letting others define it for us?

The investment gap: AFCON vs. Euros

Let’s talk about numbers.

The Total AFCON 2023 awards award was $ 7 million for the winners. The euros? $ 10 million only for runners -up, with the total awards group at € 331 million (more than $ 350 million).

That gap is not due to the lack of talent or competition, it is due to sponsorship agreements and television rights.

Who is ensuring those offers for AFCon? Who is negotiating better contracts? Who ensures that African football is not only seen, but valued?

And we do not act as if the euros and the Copa América do not have their own problems: logistics problems, bad arbitraes, empty stages.

The difference is that his media cover him differently. When Affon has a small problem, it is chaos. When euros have a problem, it is “part of the game.”

So what is the solution?

This is where African companies, federations and the media must intensify.

1. Media control: African media must own the AFCon narrative. We need documentaries, content behind the scene, deep narration that shows the greatness of the tournament. Not only the most prominent aspects of the games, full stories.

2. Corporate investment: We need private sector money in AFCon. Local and international brands must see it as a top -level investment, not as a last moment idea. Brila Media is already doing this: we are ensuring offers for AFCon while we talk, and I can tell him that there has never been a better time for brands to get involved.

3. Responsibility of the Federation: CAF must demand respect. This means a stronger marketing, larger sponsorship agreements and immediate recoil of disrespectful narratives. If the UEFA will not let someone despise the euros, why does CAF let this slide?

4. Stop updating: the goal is not to “try” AFCON is great, it’s great. The objective is to demand that it be treated as such.

Final thought: enough is enough

Carragher’s words are not the real problem. The real problem is that African football is still waiting for respect instead of ordering it. And until we fix that, until we invest, control our own means and establish our own standards, this disrespect will continue.

But he doesn’t have to do it. We have everything we need to change the game. The only question is: will we do it?

The publication stops updating: AFCon, Media Power and the struggle for the respect of Africa appeared first in the latest sports news in Nigeria.