Victoria Mutual Building Society's (VMBS) decision to end their sponsorship relationship with the Inter-Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA) Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championships came as a surprise to many.

Last Thursday, both ISSA and VMBS issued a joint statement, pointing to an amicable separation after 14 years, dating back to 1992.

VMBS gave its reason for pulling out, saying they are pursuing "new strategic directions."

ISSA, on the other hand, thanked VMBS for their unique and critical role in making Champs the premier high school event in the world.

Close scrutiny suggests that something went wrong between the two organisations.

At the launch of the 2006 championships, president and CEO at VMBS, Richard Powell, pledged his company's commitment to Champs, saying he was pleased to be associated with the event and was looking for a long relationship.

That was just nine months ago. He did say long relationship, but now that's all over. What could have gone wrong in-between those months?

Not left hanging

ISSA said they were aware of VMBS' decision from early and are well advanced in finding their replacement as they were not left hanging.

Is it that ISSA was being wooed by another sponsor and made a request of VMBS to increase their sponsorship package?

Whatever the case, the end product is a severed 14-year relationship and what could be construed as a major blow for the building society.

For 14 years they had their logos splashed all over the stadium, and by extension the world, as univer-sity coaches, agents, experts, rivals and all monitor arguably the biggest schoolboy event in the world for four days.

Almost every picture taken at the stadium had the VMBS logo in the background - the hurdles, the starting blocks, the bibs all had the VMBS logo on it.

Now that all of that will change, it appears a sad, but massive, loss for VMBS.

Good luck to whoever gets the rights to be sponsor as a host of corporations will be licking their lips in anticipation.

One name that has emerged the leading contender is one of Jamaica's biggest food distributors and a household name in Jamaica for many years.