Garden City Games Has Raised The Bar – Hockey boss

Mr. Patrick Ukah,president Nigerian Hockey Federation says the organisation and standard of the 17th National Sports Festival has raised the standard of the festival.

He told correspondents in Port Harcourt yesterday that the festival, tagged the Garden City Games was the first to receive the value and status of a National Sports Festival.

Ukah, who is a marketing consultant to the games, said the games had increased the branding of products and services.

“The Garden City Games 2011 has raised a bar. I know it could be better but they have raised the bar.

“They have increased massively the value of the National Sports Festival. I think this is the first attempt of the festival being given the status it should have in Nigeria.

“It has been increased greatly as a big brand. What Rivers games has brought out is that we now have a big brand in a national sports in Nigeria.

“If you look at the opening ceremony, that can only be likened to all African games, Olympics and commonwealth games.

“I want to believe and it is my prayer that anybody that hosts this games again, must be able to maintain and we must not drop from that standard. It is the truth of the matter and I know it is possible,” he said.

Ukah said the national sports festival was a product and that the garden city games was an attempt to raise it to a brand level.

He said time was now ripe for corporate bodies and organisations to support it through sponsorship.

“One other good thing that has happened to this game is the introduction of trophies . That also has increased the value of the games .

“You take for example,Mr. President has put in N20m ,N15m and N10m. I want to believe that what states should be targeting now is not just the medal, which is personal to the athletes ,but the state that is winning. If you have a N500m prize money on the trophy for the person that wins, most states sports council will now know the essence of pumping money .

“This will make states come the festival to participate to make money and win trophies’’ he said.