The National Soccer League (NSL) has introduced a new method to promote the league in Papua New Guinea called Club Profile.
Each week a column will be published in PNG Newspapers Post Courier, The National and the Sunday Chronicle.
The purpose of the Club Profile column is to enlighten the public on what franchises are and who their major sponsors are and owners.
The first featured franchise in this column is the Eastern Stars Football Club who are a new franchise in the 2008-09 Telikom National Soccer League competition.
The franchise is under the incorporated company – Milne Bay Limited and the major sponsors are Security Electronic System.
The franchise came to life after concerned Milne Bay citizens expressed the need for a team representing their province as many of their local talents were representing teams in Port Moresby.
The name Eastern Stars is derived from the Milne Bay symbol “the star from the East” depicted on their official provincial flag.
The franchise home will be in Port Moresby until their home ground facilities and venue is sorted out in their province. The club both has Milne Bay and outside players.
Milne Bay Soccer Limited share a number of initiatives and goals for the franchise. They aim to showcase and market footballing talents from Milne Bay and by doing so bring together the community to support soccer for Milne Bay province.
They want to ensure that benefits derived from the franchise go back to support soccer development in the province and to ensure that the club will engage in awareness of other social issues such as HIV Aids awareness.
The team currently has some of the top line players in the country.
Key signings were Madang star Adrian Komu and Welgris striker and Port Moresby based Gari Moka.
Others signings include, Godrey Baniau (goalkeeper), Clinton Caleb and goalkeeper Richard Lapan