Cliff Williams, Contributor
Lincoln 'Happy' Sutherland (left), a director of Caymanas Track Limited, presents the Labour Day Trophy to Derrick Smith Jr. following SWEET SURVIVOR's win in the 1200-metre race for high claimers at Caymanas Park on Monday. Looking on is Derrick Smith Sr. who co-owns SWEET SURVIVOR with Bruce Chin Yee.
THE $3.0 MILLION Digicel sponsorship package of the 2005 Jamaica Derby day, which has raised the purse of the premier classic to a record $4.0 million as well as the high-pressure promotion of the event, should go a long way to removing any remaining doubt about the importance of having corporate involvement in the local version of the sport of kings.
In the past, there has been a constant complaint by the representatives of the horsemen that these sponsorship packages leave the purses only marginally increased while the sponsors get more of the benefit with the goods and services offered getting additional exposure.
What the horsemen have constantly discounted is the fact that the promotion surrounding these events, not only improves sales turnover on the day for both promoters and bookmakers, but also has the potential to get new players interested in the sport.
Once again, the sales and marketing department of Caymanas Track Limited (CTL), under the astute guidance of Millicent Lynch has been able to convince a major sponsor of the wisdom of deepening its involvement in the sport. Against the background of a highly competitive sporting landscape vying for the attention of major corporate entities, it is certainly not easy to attract sponsorship of this magnitude. This particular sponsor is hugely committed to West Indies cricket and football in the Caribbean as well as being involved already with CTL, having promoted the Grade I Digicel Irish Jamaican Stakes since 2001 and now we have the Digicel Jamaica Derby.
On the subject of sponsorship, it is interesting to note how this has evolved over the last half a century for the sport of kings. While sponsorship of particular races, especially in the British Isles has been acceptable and has even managed to attract the support of financial institutions there, the conservative racing fraternity has, only over the last 20 years or so, allowed the sponsors the kind of latitude which has seen the brands of certain sponsors go with the name of the race.
PROMOTERS OF THOROUGHBRED RACING
In North America, things naturally have been different with the promoters of thoroughbred racing much more liberal in the approach to the involvement of commercial entities offering goods and services. As time evolves, there is more and heavier involvement by commercial enterprises especially with the continuous increase in television coverage.
Here in Jamaica, we have seen sponsorship move to include a wider range of the brands of goods and services coming from a scenario where only the purveyors of liquors, cigarettes, two major bookmaking establishments, a paint company and a famous automotive brand demonstrated any consistent interest in having their brands associated with the sport.
In addition to what is already mentioned as traditional, there is now the leading supplier of mobile phone service, a major manufacturer and distributor of furniture, the top media communications group, the leading soft drink brand and the lottery companies, to name the most prominent ones. We have also seen a garment manufacturer, a distributor of baked products and one of school supplies getting involved and, of course, there are others but these will suffice for now.
So far, the financial institutions have stayed away and I find it strange since in England it is common practice with certain banks even conducting one particular type of betting for profit.
There is a perception in the business sector that only certain categories of goods and services are conducive to being promoted successfully by the association of the brands with thoroughbred racing.
From where I sit in a professional sales and marketing capacity, I do not think that this is true at all. In fact, I cannot think of any type of commercial goods or service that would not readily benefit from this exposure. If and when divestment takes place, it will be interesting to see if the new investors will be able to attract a wider and more substantial sponsorship base than exists now.
