3SC, Oyo Sports Authorities Collaborate To Meet NPFL Pitch Standards

3SC, Oyo Sports Authorities Collaborate To Meet NPFL Pitch Standards

By Our Reporter 

The management of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) has dismissed speculation suggesting that the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) plans to relocate the club from Ibadan over concerns about the condition of the Lekan Salami Stadium pitch.

Chairman of the Oluyole Warriors, Hon. Taiwo Lekan Salami, has assured supporters that the club will continue to play its home matches in Ibadan, stressing that urgent measures are already in place to restore the playing surface to acceptable standards.

Concerns over the pitch were formally communicated to the club in a letter from the NPFL board, signed by its Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi. The correspondence reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the Lekan Salami Stadium pitch, particularly in light of the league’s recently secured broadcast and television rights, which place greater emphasis on match presentation and pitch quality.

In response, the 3SC chairman said the club has taken proactive steps to support the Oyo State Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Oyo State Sports Council, the agencies responsible for managing the stadium. According to him, the focus has been on addressing key challenges, especially the inadequate water supply needed for proper pitch maintenance.

“We do not have a home match for about two weeks, and all other activities at the stadium have been suspended. This gives us enough time to restore the pitch to a lush green condition,” Salami said. “The major challenge has been water supply, and we have stepped in to complement the efforts of the agencies in charge.”

He added that the joint intervention is aimed not only at immediate repairs but also at ensuring sustainable maintenance of the facility going forward, in line with league requirements.

The collaborative efforts are already yielding positive results, according to the Secretary of the Oyo State Football Association, Taiwo Adesola. He confirmed that within days of consistent watering, the pitch has shown visible improvement.

Adesola noted that the revitalisation of the playing surface is expected to enhance matchday experience, improve player performance, and ensure the stadium meets the standards required for top-flight football as the season progresses.