Captain Horace Burrell (centre), president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), touches the Digicel Premier League trophy with Edward Seaga (left), chairman of the Premier League Clubs Association, while Wayne Miller, head of marketing, Digicel, looks on during the football competition's press launch at JFF's New Kingston headquarters yesterday. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

AMID expectations for improved playing standards, the Digicel Premier League (DPL) was launched yesterday at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) headquarters in New Kingston.

While it has lost one of its primary sponsorships, the league has got a few new ones.

It has also changed its television partners, with CVM Group given the broadcasting rights ahead of Television Jamaica, which had been showing live matches for years.

"We are going to give good football and it will have its ways and it's going to be entertaining. It will improve the skills of the players towards being selected to the national squad ... for the next World Cup campaign," promised Edward Seaga, chairman of the Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA), which garners funding for the competition.

So far, total sponsorship for this season's competition stands at just under $86 million, with title sponsors Digicel ($49.5m) accounting for the lion's share.

Sponsors

Former title sponsors Wray and Nephew Limited returned with a $10m tag, split evenly in cash and kind, while Wisynco, through its brand Wata, have committed $7m in cash and kind. Other sponsors include the Jamaica Urban Transit Corporation, Gatorade, KLAS FM, Jamaica Observer, Locker Room Sports and Joma.

"It was difficult because times are hard, but at the same time we have got some new sponsors and we have lost some of the ones we had," admitted Seaga.

The Government and RBTT have withdrawn themselves as sponsors, owing to the harsh economic climate, accounting for a significant shortfall to the PLCA of $20m.

"We have almost been able to close that gap that we had from last year and we still have three potential sponsors that we are still talking to now," Seaga noted.

Captain Horace Burrell, president of the JFF, urged spectators attending matches this season to "be on their best behaviour".

Wonderful launch

"We are sure that the season will get started in a way that is unprecedented. We expect bigger crowds at the games. The hopes are great and we aspire for greater things this season," said Burrell.

"I would also like to ask spectators to conduct themselves in a way that would befit a wonderful launch and all that we have been doing to make football the product that we all certainly want," he added.

Wayne Miller, head of marketing at Digicel, which has committed an additional $4 million to this year's competition, said the sponsorship will go a far way in helping the development of the sport.

"The Digicel Premier League filled a gap in football in Jamaica, allowing community club players to become role models for aspiring footballers," said Miller. "Seeing the success of the league and the growth of the players throughout the season is what makes this a worthwhile sponsorship for us."

Regarding their decision to rejoin the sponsorship ranks, Andrew Price, marketing manager of Wray and Nephew, said: "... We have seen the struggles that they (PLCA) have gone through and we like to see the progress that has taken place with them.

"A lot of these clubs are situated in communities and we believe that one of the ways of building Jamaica is to get involved in the communities," Price pointed out.