In the biggest deal in the history of Jamaican football, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has signed a US$1.7 million 2-year sponsorship contract with Italian sporting manufacturing company, Kappa. The deal, 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.
"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.
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"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 president Marco Boglione said:
"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 wear 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.
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.
