Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Mark McKenzie, managing director of Red Stripe (left), signs the sponsorship contract with Jamaica Football Federation President, Crenston Boxhill, for the Reggae Boyz's 'Back to Africa World Cup 2010' campaign, at the Chinese Benevolent Association at Hope Road yesterday. At centre is Carlo Redwood, marketing manager at Red Stripe. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

CORPORATE GIANTS Red Stripe are back on board with the Jamaica national football programme.

This time around they have pumped $100 million into it, but the amount is dependent on the Reggae Boyz's success in World Cup qualifiers.

The new contract is expected to span a three-year period which should, in theory, take the team through to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, commonly referred to as the 'Back to Africa Campaign'.

However, the national team must perform well if it expects to reap the benefits of the full sponsorship amount, as the funding will not go beyond whichever point the national team fails to advance.

Back in 2005, under a similar arrangement, the team managed to claim only $50 million of the total figure of the then 'Red Stripe Journey to Germany' deal as it was knocked out of CONCACAF qualification in the semi-final round after placing third in Group I behind the United States and Panama.

"Like most things in the business world, this is a performance-based arrangement. It was like that the last time and it is not a new thing, so here we are trying to qualify for another World Cup," said Jamaica Football Federation president Crenston Boxhill at the Chinese Benevolent Association yesterday.

Equipped to cope

"It does put us under a little bit of pressure in terms of the organisation and trying to get us there, but we are certainly equipped to cope with that," Boxhill said.

A major part of the amount will go towards supporting the team's preparation for the qualification round by hosting a number of international friendlies. While not having yet secured an opponent, the federation has set a target for the first of these games to possibly kick off in a little over a month's time.

"The process for World Cup qualification is an expensive one and we are pleased that Red Stripe has come on board at the very beginning. Their contribution comes at a perfect time," Boxhill said.

"It is also pleasing that they have chosen to continue their association with us, which proves that they must have been happy with the results that they have been getting over the last couple of years and I would like to publicly make a plea for the rest of corporate Jamaica to follow suit," he said.

In addition to the sponsorship, the company, which recently repackaged its title brand under the new slogan 'Live Red', will also be turning its attention to patrons at the National Stadium, and pre-game and half-time shows are once again expected to be a big part of the local football landscape.

"By involving ourselves in the qualification process from the very beginning of the journey, we want to remind those looking on that we are in this thing for the long haul," said Red Stripe Marketing Director, Wayne Lawrence.

"We will bring passion and pride back to the World Cup qualifying campaign. A part of 'Living Red' is reminding Jamaicans that creating and inspiring passion in everything we do is important," he said.

On the local scene, the company has also been responsible for the running of the Red Stripe Champions Cup and Red Stripe Light Beach Futbol competitions.