RITE Foods Limited, makers of Sosa Fruit Drink, has announced a strategic partnership with Showtime Flag Football League in a move aimed at fostering youth empowerment, family entertainment and inclusivity in sports.
At a media briefing to herald the partnership, the brand managers and executives of both organisations highlighted the significance of the collaboration, describing it as a “first of its kind” initiative designed to blend nourishment, sports, and community engagement.
Speaking at the event, Brand Manager, Sosa Fruit Drink, Ruth Mark, emphasised that the product, manufactured locally by Rite Foods Ltd., embodies world-class standards while celebrating Nigerian originality.
She said that the partnership reflects Sosa’s commitment to inclusivity, noting that flag football provides opportunities for men, women, and young people, even as young as 14, to compete and build connections.
On her part, Corporate Affairs and Communications Manager, Rite Foods, Olukemi Ogunsakin, said the collaboration aligns with the company’s four sustainability pillars: environment, youth development,
education, and community development.
“Over 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population is under 35. If we are able to engage our young people in activities where they can expend energy, have fun, and avoid vices, we are very happy to do it,” she stated.
Flag football, an adapted, non-contact version of American football, has been gaining traction in Nigeria, with the Showtime Flag Football League leading its development.
Vice President of Commercials, Showtime Flag, Okuns Ivie Precious, explained that the league is the largest co-ed (mixed-gender) flag football league in the world.
“We believe in the unity of both men and women doing something together. That has been the driving
force behind creating a sport that is family-friendly, safe, and accessible,” she said.
This year’s Showtime season, which runs from September 21 to December 21, will feature 10 teams
competing over 13 weeks, with weekly matches at the Showtime Arena, Elegushi, Lagos.
The league culminates in the Showtime Bowl, a festival-like finale that blends sports with live music,
side attractions, and family activities.
On the partnership’s added value, Vice President of Operations, Showtime Flag, Esther Kalu, noted that
Sosa’s involvement would strengthen the hospitality experience for fans.
“When there is a combination of sports and entertainment without refreshments, it leaves even the
audience irritable. SOSA coming in bridges that gap and elevates the fan experience,” she remarked.
Showtime currently streams its games to audiences in more than 52 countries, an achievement the
organisers described as proof of the sport’s growing global appeal.
While details of the prize money for the new season remain undisclosed, past editions offered a N20
million prize pool shared among teams based on their final rankings.
