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Attractive deal!JFF signs US$1.77m agreement with Italian sports companyBy Ian Burnett Sport editor burnetti@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Turin, Italy - The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), through its president Captain Horace Burrell, yesterday inked a lucrative US$1.77 million two-year sponsorship deal with Italian sporting manufacturing company, Kappa, at the company's headquarters here in Turin.
The deal, the biggest ever in the history of the Jamaican football programme, includes a signing fee, cash incentives dependent on qualification to the World Cup and CONCACAF Gold Cup, bags, apparel, footwear, etc for all nine men's and women's teams. Kappa has the option to renew after 2010.
Signed, sealed, delivered Kappa President Marco Boglione (right) looks on as Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) head, Captain Horace Burrell (centre), affixes his signature in the presence of General Secretary Horace Reid yesterday. (Photo: Dario Dinocca) "This has been the most attractive deal that we have ever had and I am grateful," beamed Captain Burrell shortly after signing on the dotted line.But the JFF boss refused to divulge further details of the deal before advising his board members.
"I wouldn't want to disclose the details of the deal before advising the JFF board, which will convene a meeting on May 6," added Captain Burrell, who first signed a deal in 1995 with Lanzera, which later merged with Kappa the following year. The deal was terminated following the FIFA World Cup Finals in 1998.
Kappa is a part of the BasicNet SpA group, which also includes Robe Di Kappa, Superga, Jesus Jeans and K-Way.
Set up by and under the leadership of president Marco Boglione, BasicNet SpA has been called the world's smallest multinational in the clothing, footwear and accessories sector for sport and free time.
Boglione told the Observer yesterday the deal was realised because he believed in Jamaica and the Jamaican image across the globe.
"We chose Jamaica because of the same reasons we did many years ago. We think it is a good country, there are good people with good image around the world, mainly among the youngsters and from a sponsor's point of view it is a growing team, except for the last few years when there have been some problems.
"But we still believe in Jamaican football and Jamaican players and we believe Jamaica will be doing well in the next few years, and of course in the World Cup."
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz, who open their CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying campaign on June 15 against The Bahamas in Kingston, will don their new Kappa uniform then, as immediately after yesterday's signing, the company's designers started work in collaboration with JFF generals secretary, Horace Reid.
Captain Burrell disclosed that yesterday's signing was the hard work of his team, including Peter Hargitay, chairman of the European Consultancy Network (ECN), which was secured by the JFF earlier this year.
Hargitay is also a Strategy Advisor to The FA since last year.
"This deal is considered significant, given all the circumstances in that we have been out of a kit deal for the past two years, because unfortunately we have not performed to our true potential and therefore being able to pull this one off is really huge," reasoned Burrell.
"Here I must give credit to Peter Hargitay, who has been working around the clock to help us secure a kit deal, especially after the fact that Jamaica is ranked so low down the FIFA ranking and companies are not very receptive to such teams, which they don't believe will advance to the global competitions.
"It was very heartening to learn that Kappa demonstrated a high level of confidence in the current administration because based on where we are at, we are not in a position to have commanded such a deal," added Burrell, who said the JFF had approached numerous "big sporting companies", which all said "we are not attractive enough to be considered for a lucrative package".
Without Hargitay and his connections "it would have been almost impossible to close such a deal", noted Burrell.
In addition, Kappa will be trying to establish outlets in Jamaica, especially in the tourism sector and in Kingston.
Meanwhile, Reid reiterated how arduous the trip has been thus far in successfully negotiating both deals so far. The previous day both Burrell and Reid were able to find a solution to the massive 153,431.94 pounds debt to The FA.
"The trip has been very challenging, we have hardly had a chance to sleep since we arrived in Europe on Tuesday morning, but discussions have been very fruitful and given where we are at in terms of our football, the work has to be done if we are to restore the credibility of our football programme," he said.
"There is simply no time to rest on our laurels.
"Today (yesterday) has been very tough. We got up from three o'clock in the morning to catch a flight to Turin, in Italy. After that meeting we drove for two and a half hours to Milan to catch a train to Zurich, Switzerland, getting in just before midnight for the meeting with the FIFA President Sepp Blatter tomorrow morning (today) at 9:30. So the work continues and we are hopeful that we will continue to make progress in our meetings and discussions."
The JFF executives are expected to discuss the FIFA Goal Project among other assistance from the world's governing body today.