February 3 – Coca-Cola has come to the rescue of Jamaica’s Reggae Boys through its local distributor Wisynco, who have committed US$1.6-million to support the national team through its World Cup qualifying campaign and provide a much-needed cash injection into Jamaican football.
The deal is over six years with a number of performance based incentives. William Mahfood, Wisynco’s managing director said: “Our business has continued to grow, and we continue to invest, and not only in our own company, but the people of Jamaica.
“So if they hit important milestones, like actually going to Brazil, then there’s a certain amount of cash that kicks in, and what this does is to ensure that each step of the way during the campaign they have funds to help carry them through.”
Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore, Jamaica’s head coach, said the new deal was timely, “We have to give thanks for any support we can get and this is a tremendous boost… football is not only played on the field, but off the field as well, and having this wonderful gesture tells me that football is alive and well. I now urge other sponsors to come on board to help us make 2014 a reality.”
Captain Horace Burrell, head of the Jamaican Football Federation, emphasised the importance of the Coca-Cola commitment as being the first step to getting a number of other sponsors committed, “I am extremely elated at Coca-Cola coming on board… we are hoping that by them coming on board and being such a high-profile company, that it will act as a catalyst to attract other sponsors to do likewise,” he said.
“This (sponsorship) is affirmation that corporate Jamaica has faith in the Reggae Boyz. We, as a Government, are grateful to Wisynco and Coca-Cola for (demonstrating) their corporate and social responsibility,” said Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, who is also Minister of Sport.
The Reggae Boyz are set to kick-off the decisive hexagonal round of the CONCACAF Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifiers away to Mexico next Wednesday.
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