Williams gets support for centralised JPL games

JAMAICA PREMIER League (JPL) clubs have expressed support for Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL) chairman, Christopher Williams, who has stated his intention to keep JPL matches at centralised venues next season.

The current JPL format proved a huge success after the PFJL implements a central venue policy coming out of the pandemic, to create a more attractive product through increased televised coverage.

However, in a radio interview on Tuesday, Williams revealed some clubs were calling for a return to home venues next season.

However, Carvel Stewart, chairman of 2022 JPL winners, Harbour View, and Paul Christie, the manager of beaten finalists, Dunbeholden, who both have not played a home game for the past two seasons, are in full support of the chairman.

According to Stewart, the move should encourage clubs to improve their physical infrastructure and playing surfaces and this, he said, can only help to enhance a blossoming product.

His hopes are that all clubs will put themselves in a position to host games in the future.

“Centralised venue is going to be wider than what we were used to at Captain Burrell Centre [JFF-Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence]. This year we had Tony Spaulding and other venues.

“The intention is to try to get the venues improved to a standard that everyone can host television matches.

“So the significant thing is to improve the clubs so they can host television broadcasting,” he said.

ROTATING VENUES

Stewart pointed out that the approval of the Clarendon venues late in the season, and Wespow Park in Montego Bay gave the league a good spread and he wants the rotating of host venues to remain.

“The challenge will be for those clubs to get ready and prepare for the next seasons. I understand but I am hoping there will be more centralised venues. The Clarendon and Montego Bay venues allowed games to be brought to those locations.

“So I hope for better balance. More teams should be visited by other clubs, so there is no disadvantage with a centralised venue approach,” he said.

However, he thinks this is the way forward and wants all parties to sit and discuss how they can maximise benefits from TV broadcasting.

“Gate receipts are more significant for some than for others. At Harbour View that covers our match expenses at most.

Dunbeholden’s Christie said improving the product is the ultimate goal, and applauds Williams’ latest move.

“The product is actually growing. The central location gives you better playing surfaces, the quality of play is improving and the surface plays a significant role. The football looks good on TV and the package is much better.

“Mr Williams takes the business model seriously and broadcasting is a major income earner. So I am in total support of the chairman,” he said.

“We need to take ourselves and our clubs out of the equation and look at the product. I am for everything that is for improving the product and I think the chairman is growing the product.”

“People from Germany, England and other countries are watching our product. So we have to make up our mind if we want a hundred per cent community product that is not going anywhere or we want to look at football as a business. We must decide,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Williams said the JPL is a profit-making entity that sells its broadcast rights and commercial value for sponsorship revenue and splits that revenue among the clubs.

Returning to home venues, he said, would destroy what has been built with the sponsors.

“If we go back to the club venues, the quality of the surface and the lighting does not support TV coverage. In addition, no broadcaster is equipped to cover all six games from different venues.

“Financially, it’s better if we stick to a centralised venue as the gates for 90 per cent of home venues were weak,” he said.

At an emergency general meeting today with the clubs, Williams said the matter will be discussed.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com