More high-profile JPL games for TV – Anderson
Published:Wednesday | June 14, 2023 | 1:16 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
VICE PRESIDENT of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) with responsibility for competitions, Raymond Anderson, said for the next Jamaica Premier League (JPL) season, the federation will work with the Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL) to ensure that, as much as possible, the best and most interesting games get televised.
For the just-concluded 2022-23 season, many JPL fans complained that there were too many televised matches that lacked interest, when more enticing fixtures were available.
The JFF (competitions department), who are responsible for scheduling the JPL fixtures, in its defence, argued that the objective was to ensure that teams get equal amount of air time.
However, local football fans were quick to point out that in other football jurisdictions, the practice is for the most interesting matchups to be the feature televised games, and Anderson said they will be taking more of that approach next season.
“The PFJL and myself will sit and look in detail on the fixtures. So that when we start back the competition, we do not have that same problem that we had last season.
“We will ensure that as best as possible, we fix the games according to best practices of course,” he said.
He cautioned that not all the top games will be featured games, as the JFF and the PFJL still aim to manage the scheduling to ensure no team is alienated.
“You will have some teams getting more feature games than others, but not because a team is not a top team you are going to keep them at the back. Once they are one of the teams participating, the JFF has to treat it like that,” said Anderson.
He lauded the JPL as the federation’s flagship competition and said they will work with the PFJL to help improve the competition for next season.
“The Premier League is our flagship competition. So that is why we have a steering committee that works very closely with the PFJL.
“What we are doing is trying to get the football experience. So more people will want to pay to come and watch the games.
“We call them our golden child, they do not know it sometimes, but yes, they are our golden child. They are doing a lot of work to ensure that the media is here and the world is watching. What we do from the JFF side is to help them to ensure that the flagship keeps flying high and we are working with them to ensure that is done,” he said.