Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter AT A Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) press conference this week, the Wray and Nephew National Premier League teams announced their first steps promoting the local game.
Dubbed the Wray and Nephew Football Carnival, Jamaica will witness four local games at the highest level in one sitting at the National Stadium on Sunday.
Starting at 1:00 p.m., Waterhouse's Under-21s will take on Arnett Gardens and Tivoli Gardens' Under-21s will do battle with their Harbour View counterparts at 3:00 p.m..
The same teams take centrestage at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in the Premier League games and patrons will have the choice of sitting anywhere in the stadium for all the games.
The price for the event has been set at $500 for a grandstand ticket and $300 for the bleachers.
The move, instigated by the Premier League clubs and supported by Wray and Nephew, has found good favour with sponsors, as Harbour View have already received sponsorship from Locker Room Sports, the official distributors of Kelme gear.
It is the hope of the clubs that the event can be made a more regular one. To that end a similar format has been scheduled for March 27.
In responding to the initiative shown by the clubs in terms of enhancing the marketability of the local game, JFF general secretary, Burchell Gibson, said: "The clubs are to be commended for the visionary leadership being displayed by them coming together in the transition stage of our football development, in which the JFF knows their individual input is critical to the overall development of the national football programme".
Harbour View manager Clyde Jureidini was also in good spirits about the move and thought that the image of local football stood to benefit.
"The new thrust of marketing these special events in the second and third rounds will help boost the image of the league," he said.
