NewzOWEN Hill, chief executive officer of the Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL), remains confident that a deal will soon be struck to confirm the title sponsor of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) which kicks off on Sunday. At the press launch on Thursday at the offices of TVJ, Hill confirmed that long-time headline sponsor Wray & Nephew and JPL have ended their contractual agreement. Although Hill stopped short of naming the prospective sponsor, the Wisynco Group is understood to be involved through its Legend Beer brand.
Wisynco recently posted on Instagram that it was “powering a new chapter for Jamaica Premier League”, while also referencing a J$300-million commitment over five years to Jamaican football. “It’s unfortunate that we don’t have a title sponsor on the dotted line and we’re very close,” he said. “The league kicks off on Sunday,” Hill said, noting that four matches are scheduled for the opening day, with another two set for Monday.
Hill explained that PFJL has a contractual obligation to begin the season within a specific window, making it necessary for the league to move forward while the sponsorship negotiations continue. He was quick to point out that negotiations have been taking place at the boardroom level on a daily basis as both sides work through the final details of what could become a significant long-term partnership. “We’ve been in the boardroom every single day.
We’re hammering all those fine points within a five-year conversation,” he said. While the agreement had not been signed at the time of his comments, Hill insisted that the league is close to securing a major commercial partnership. “I’m positive that it’s going to be a bigger, better league as we go forward,” he said.
According to Hill, the plan is not only to secure a new presenting partner but also to attract additional supporting partners, with the ultimate aim of creating greater financial stability for the league and its 14 clubs. “We will be having a new presenting partner and some supporting lead partners,” he noted. Hill stressed that PFJL is seeking more than a short-term sponsorship arrangement, saying the objective is to build a sustainable football economy in Jamaica.
“We’re building a football economy and that requires strategy and it also requires some assurance from our commercial partners,” he explained. Portmore United players celebrate after defe…
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