

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bayonle Arashi.
Bayonle, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My name is Bayonle Arashi, born in the ancient city of Ibadan, Oyo state in Nigeria and I immigrated to the United States in February 2015. I have been in football (soccer) since growing up but professionally, I got involved in 2002 after moving from the first television channel I started my career in 1999 to Africa Independent Television. I am very passionate about the media and soccer profession and I am blessed with extensive experience in the areas of communications, TV & Radio production, digital marketing, sports events management, public speaking. A certified U.S Soccer Referee and member of U.S Soccer Coach.
I founded Midas Football Academy in Nigeria set up to discover, educate and develop young football players and there is a plan to build a football facility where the players can combine vocational education and soccer to reach their full potential in the nearest future. The Academy has participated and won International youth tournaments in Germany, Denmark, Israel, South Africa as well as some local tournament in Nigeria.
I founded ScoutBallers LLC, A marketplace that connects players, video creators, and recruiters to hasten the process of club and college recruitment in Houston, Texas in the year 2015. we launched the version 1.0 of the platform in January 2018 after many struggles finding someone to build the platform since I am not good with coding or software development skills, I worked and saved enough to find someone that build the first version of the platform in India, till date we have about three-plus users on it but direction changed in 2019 and we are working to relaunch the platform in October 2020 to make it more effective and this time we are building the minimum viable product that will be going to the market and provide a proper solution to one of the biggest problems athlete are having while also helping college coaches and professional clubs to find talent for their clubs and program without having the need to travel miles but by just sitting behind their desk and watch videos of talents across the world.
Our platform will also be creating jobs for freelancers across the world as they will use our platform to provide their service to players looking to take their career to the next level by creating a winning recruiting video for them or help them to edit the one they have on our platform. There is a big dream for this platform.
I have over 20 years of experience in broadcasting, having worked with Murhi International Group, owners of (MiTV and Star FM) & Daar Communications Plc. Owners of Africa Independent Television (AIT and Raypower FM) in Nigeria and Millenium Broadcasting Channel in Houston, Texas.
I produced LIMITLESS SOCCER a weekly magazine show that features highlights of top leagues in Europe and the U.S Major League Soccer, as well as RUSSIA ROUNDUP, a show that profiled all the 32 nations that participated at the 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP in Russia. The shows air on African Broadcasting Network and Afrocentric Television in Houston, Texas.
I was fortunate to cover the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia 2004, Egypt 2006, Ghana 2008, the FIFA World Cup in Germany 2006, and South Africa 2010 as a volunteer. I also author a guide book titled of Roadmap To A Successful Football Career (A step by step guide) listed on Amazon and selling worldwide in April 2020.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Going from a professional into the path of entrepreneurship has not been smooth and I will probably not be truthful to myself if I said I expected it to be an easy ride however I believe I possess the ability to stay in the game long enough and make sure my purpose is crystal clear. I have to be a problem solver, there are obviously tons of problems the world needs solutions to, and I have chosen to be a part of the solution rather than complaining about them. This is what I have decided I am going to do with the rest of my life. solve problems.
My guide book which was published in April 2020, was written to provide a solution to a lifelong problem that is affecting young people who either at a stage in their career do not know what to do and what next to do or they have no one to mentor them. Though it is a guide on how to go from playing the game of soccer in the street to becoming a professional, the same process in the book can be used for other sports and the same result will still be achieved.
Also, my experience coming to America and not able to work in the industry I have worked and understand for almost two decades is hurting, this is because I did not have any college education in America and this is a high requirement in getting to any professional industry in this country. I applied to many media organizations and the soccer industry but did not a callback or reply to my emails so I decided to do what I could find to do. I have been working in the criminal justice system in Texas as a correctional officer since 2018 full time while I work to build my company at night. It has been a blessing in disguise working in the prison system because it further helped to redefine my purpose that more focus needs to be placed on our youths and we need to share what is going on in prison with them so they will never go into any life of crime no matter how attractive it looks.
I am looking forward to sharing my experience with high school students across America and other parts of the world on why a life of crime is never the way and why they should believe that whatever they want to do or achieve is possible if they are willing to put in the work and be patient.
Please tell us about ScoutBallers Soccer Recruiting.
My platform ScoutBallers is a marketplace that connects players, video creators, and recruiters to hasten the process of club and college recruitment.
There are many recruiting service and website out there but none of them is willing to take up the responsibility we have resolved to take on and tackle head-on by creating a platform where an athlete can find recruiters and video freelancers to help them create a virtual cv that will give them the opportunity to either get employed by finding the next club to play for or find a scholarship opportunity with their talent to enable them to study and play the game they love at the same time. Our platform is unique and we know the world will soon hear about the awesome stuff we are about to do.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I wish I had moved to the United States of America early in life but I am also aware that everything happens in its own time, you cannot push anything. America has a lot of opportunities for anyone to do or become whatever they want to be if they are willing to put in the work, be disciplined, and very patient. Did you know the first time I tried to come to the U.S was 2003? I got an opportunity to come for a one-year Broadcast Training program with the USTTI but the visa was denied.
I have another opportunity in 2013 through Atlas Corps, an initiative that is helping Africa Entrepreneurs under 35 to come to the U.S and get trained by a professional company for one year then return back home but I was not allowed to come in by denial of visa again but it happened in late 2014 when God said it was time for me to come over here.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bayonlearashi.com/
- Email: midassoccer@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bayonlearashi/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bayonleaarashi
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bayonlearashi
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bayonlearashi/
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