KSAFA President Rudolph Speid.

While Jamaica often produces top-class athletes who perform well at the international level, the facilities at which they train locally are anything but ideal.

In a bid to address that issue, the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA), the organisation responsible for controlling, monitoring and organising football in Kingston and St Andrew, has launched a new initiative, aptly labelled the KSAFA Adopt-a-Field programme, which will see prospective sponsors invited to adopt a football field of their choice.

Sponsors may choose a field and pledge between $500,000 and $1,000,000, and that contribution will go towards renovating the surface, furthering the development of the sport and each team's neighbouring communities.
Rudolph Speid, president of KSAFA, explained.

"One of the main components to the development of football, which will help the players to play properly and improve their game, is having proper surfaces to play on," Speid said.

"We need an environment where families can come out and enjoy themselves at the football matches and sit comfortably. We also want to be able to provide central parking spots for the patrons. So, a good facility is most important to the sport."

Speid also noted that it is primarily through corporate support that KSAFA is able to fund their football clubs and cover their administrative costs.

To manage the sponsors, KSAFA has appointed Blueprint Consulting, a Kingston-based event-management and marketing firm that specialises in sponsorship management, as their representative to administer their sponsor relations.

The percentage of the sponsorship contribution that is allotted to the KSAFA body will go towards the development of the KSAFA leagues, and will include added incentives for players and improved marketing. In turn, the sponsors will get extensive venue branding, which will include perimetre boards and billboards, branding of the jersey chest of the respective team, on-the-ground promotions at home games, and brand inclusion in social-media coverage.

Carlton Dennis, president and coach of the Santos Football Club which calls the Bell Chung Oval home, believes the sponsorship dollars are much needed and will benefit the clubs greatly.

'Clubs suffering'

"Right now, the clubs are suffering, so if something like this programme comes, I will accept it willingly. It will enhance our facility and would help us in a great way. It will also enhance the overall product that is football, and will then boost the attendance at the games; because you will tend to play better football on a better field - a better surface - and, if you have a good facility, the people will come out and enjoy the games."

Speaking of his club specifically, Dennis said that the field needs to be further developed and the club-house needs repairs.

"We lost the roof of the club-house when we had the last hurricane and, as for the field, we need more water tanks so we can water the field properly."

The Adopt-a-Field programme is one part of KSAFA's ongoing development plan, designed to invigorate football in neighbourhoods across the Corporate Area. Other initiatives are the introduction of All-star games, a community-outreach programme.