Indeed, the past 6 weeks and 10 Masterclasses have been an unforgettable experience for fans and stakeholders alike. It has been our pleasure to make history with you alongside thousands of other passionate and engaging collegiate sports & youth developments enthusiasts in the sessions of the Classes with the Masters 1.0. It is our hope and belief that these experiences and knowledge garnered across various sectors from varsities to media to sports and finance and business led by our sponsors, Stanbic IBTC will help power a new generation of sports industry leaders and decision-makers as we look to grow the game in our dear country.

The sessions hosted the brightest minds from all levels of the sporting ecosystem to ensure premium edutainment with notable speakers including; Obinna Lewis-Asonye, Zonal Head, Micro Pension & Agency/StanbicIBTC Prof. S.S. Hamafyelto, NUGA President, Mutiu Adepoju, Ex-Nigerian Professional and LaLiga Ambassador, Guillermo Perez Castello, MD LaLiga Nigeria, Mozez Praiz, Popular SuperSport Presenter, Jean Willers, MD Nielsen Sports, South Africa, Tega Onojaife, Founder Ladies in Sport International, Toyin Ibitoye, Media Officer, Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Abdul Oganla, Founder, Africa-USA College Soccer Recruitment Tour and Elizabeth Okogun, founder, Zinovation Sports.

The series ran from June 23 and ended August 5 with sessions holding weekly. Below is a summary of how it all went down:

Session 1

Topic: How Professional Football Works

Date: 23^rd June 2020

Time: 4:02pm – 5:10pm

Ex international, Mutiu Adepoju elaborated on the evolution of professional football since the 80s to now. He advised upcoming footballers to get lawyers to look into their contracts before signing any contract with any club so that they don't get cheated or exploited. He further urged them to nurture their passion alongside discipline and determination as it was important to their development through each training session and games.

In case you missed the session, you can follow this link to enjoy and learn or would like a rewatch.

Session 2

Topic: Growing Your Sports Entity as a Viable Institution

Date: 25th June 2020

Time: 4:01pm – 5: 07pm

MD La Liga Nigeria, Guillermo Perez referenced key lessons from “The transformation of LaLiga and its international project as a key growth lever” in his presentation as he opined on how to scale a global sports entity. Among other points, he identified securing key partnerships as a veritable means and highlighted how that the partnership between HiFL and LaLiga was, in fact, one of the strategies of LaLiga’s international expansion in the sub-Saharan African market.

You can watch the entirety of the session here.

Session 3

Topic: Making a Career in Talking Sports

Date: 1^st July 2020

Time: 4:02 – 5:07pm

Ace presenter, Mozez Praiz used his personal experiences as he advised up and coming sports analysts and presenters to among other hacks get a mentor, always prepare enough to be knowledgeable in discusses and dress appropriately in their quest to make a career in talking sports. "Passion is great but you need the knowledge to back up your passion”, he summarized.

Click here to get more about Mozez Praiz’s nuggets on how to make a career in talking sports.

Session 4

Topic: Sponsorship in sports: Insights and Analytics

Date: 3^rd July 2020

Time: 4:02pm – 5:10pm

MD Nielsen Sports, South Africa Jean Willers elaborated on the roadblocks to securing sponsorships citing the disparity in sponsorships amongst South African PSL teams. He opined that any sports entity looking to bag a sponsorship must first grow their brands to the level where potential sponsors begin to develop an interest to invest in it.

To know more about Jean Willers session, follow this link.

Session 5

Topic: The Future of Varsity Sports in Nigeria

Date: 8^th July 2020

Time: 4:02pm – 5:15pm

Prof. S.S. Hamafyelto, President of NUGA, gave an overview of Nigerian Universities Games Association (NUGA), how it began, and the abundant potential in the space as he reflected on how Public-Private Partnerships is the way to good using the success of HiFL as a benchmark.

You can listen to the full session here.

Session 6

Topic: Safeguarding Your Financial Future in Uncertain Times

Date: 15^th July 2020

Time: 4:02pm – 5:20 pm

Zonal Head, Micro Pension & Agency, Stanbic IBTC, Obinna Lewis Asonye shared timely nuggets in his presentation on Safeguarding finances in these new normal. He advised the need for increased income streams and diversified portfolios as must-dos as we look to thrive.

Click here to watch the entirety of the session

Session 7

Topic: How Women Thrive in Football

Date: 22^nd July 2020

Time: 4pm – 5:07pm

On how “Women thrive in football”, Founder, Ladies in Sports, Tega Onojaife spoke on how women are sometimes underappreciated in football even in situations that they perform better than the male teams, people don’t give them enough recognition and applause for breaking barriers. “You cannot reap where you do not sow”, she opined when questioned on the disparity in numbers between the men and women’s game. Tega concluded by citing the groundbreaking achievements of the last FIFA Women’s World Cup as a reference on how the women game can grow if properly nurtured.

Follow this link to learn more about what she said. 

Session 8

Topic: Navigating Media Relations in Sports

Date: 29^th July 2020

Time: 4:02pm – 5:19pm

Celebrated sports broadcaster and media officer of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Toyin Ibitoye emphasized why clubs, players, and all stakeholder in the sports community need a qualified media relations expert to coordinate and manage their media relations.   

Click this link to know how to navigate media relations in sports.

Session 9

Topic: Policies in Sports: The Way Forward

Date: 3^rd August 2020

Time: 4;02pm – 5: 23pm

Founder, Zinovation Sports, Elizabeth Okogun elaborated on the importance of policies in the sports and how they help to ensure the industry maintains a standard. “The success of sports policies will determine the involvement of future stakeholders and investors”, she concluded.

You can follow this link to listen to the full presentation.

Session 10

Topic: Global Opportunities for Student-Athletes

Date: 5^th August, 2020

Time: 4:02pm – 5:20pm

In his powerful discussion, Abdul Oganla, Founder, Africa-USA College Soccer Recruitment Tour highlighted the various opportunities available to collegiate athletes as they look to advance their craft. He emphasized on the importance of maintaining good grades in your education as an athlete as not all college stars eventually make the jump to pros. “The goal is not just to be successful in sports but also to use sports as a means to be successful in life”, he opined.

Click this link to know more about global opportunities for student-athletes. 

Truly, it was an exciting and exhilarating ride in the masterclasses and we once again thank you for making history with us. We cannot wait to have everyone together again soon during games. Until next time, enjoy the game and keep chasing your dreams.  

Stay Safe!