1 month ago
7
SOON-TO-BE ELECTED Netball Jamaica President Karen Baugh said the country’s premier competition, the Red Stripe Flavours Elite League, has the potential to become a viable product but that they might need a change in approach in order to achieve this.
The growth and development of the Elite League came under heavy scrutiny from local coaches recently who expressed serious concerns about the direction in which the league is heading.
They pointed out that the league was down from six to four teams, five if the national u21s are included, and that some of the best local players were not making themselves available because of the lack of substantial financial renumeration.
However, Baugh noted that the outgoing president, Tricia Robinson’s administration, of which she is a part, has tried to make the financial incentives of the league more attractive but said it was tough without adequate sponsorship.
“We have tried to increase the prize monies, and we have increased the stipends that we pay to them.
“Most of the leagues locally, players do not get paid to play. So this one is the only one that is kind of semi-professional. So we do put some money on the table to support that.
“But we need more money. We need more sponsors who believe in a product like this. So we have to show them, and that is a mode that we are in now,” she stated.
Baugh believes they have a product that can rival the Australia Sun Corp or England Super league, and although attracting sponsors has had its challenges, she thinks they just need to be convinced.
“Some have mentioned the Suncorp League, and we have looked around and looked at some best practices and try to infuse them. But once we put on a good show, sponsors will come on board.”
Even though the Sunshine Girls are rated the number-one team in the country, because of their consistent top-three finish at global tournaments, successive administrations have struggled to generate the type of support the sport deserves.
Baugh said they might have to look at some unconventional ways to generate the type of support they need to complement their programmes and points to the Professional Football Jamaica Limited as an inspiration.
“The Jamaica Premier League took a while to get to where it is now. It took a change in organisation, an infusion of cash and even a different structure.
“We have been shy with the structure that we have here now. But as I said at the media launch, ‘Can we sustain a league of this level?’ And I am a firm believer that we can.
The league was also criticised for its lack of international flavour, but Baugh noted that this is an expensive venture.
“This league is always going to be a platform for development, not just for the Sunshine Girls, but for the region because we are the leaders in the region.
“This year, we have two players from overseas, one from England, one from Australia, and the idea is that we will be inviting players from other Caribbean countries as well.
“We have in the past, but it is always a money thing because for a player to come here and stay for a month or two, their federation would have to fund them.
“It is not at the level yet where we are paying them enough for them to afford airfare and accommodations. But that is definitely the vision that we have,” she continued.
English (US) ·