Tivoli score big with Locker Room-Nike deal

Digicel Premier League (DPL) leaders, Tivoli Gardens, were given a boost yesterday as they seek to regain their hold on the country's top football crown when international sports goods manufacturers, Nike, in partnership with Locker Room Sports, selected the club as their team of choice for sponsorship during the 2010-11 season.

The sponsorship, valued at $2 million, is in the form of gear and sees both the senior and Under-21 teams being provided with official Nike gear for home and away matches and training gear.

Club officials will also don official Nike clothing, and the players will travel to games attired in Nike polo shirts and shorts.

This marks the third year of Nike's involvement in the league and their sales representative for Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, Michael Bookbinder, explained the reason for them venturing into local football.

"Soccer is such a growing sport in Jamaica and played at all levels from schoolboy right up to professional and that was basically the best sport for us to get into," Bookbinder said during a press conference yesterday at the Mall Plaza Locker Room Sports store.

"There are other sports we are looking into and are going to try to get into. Athletics is going to be hard because the product selection is not offered to us for this region. Basketball, netball, those are sports we are planning to get into and try to help," he added.

In addition to the training balls that will be given to the club, a separate allotment was provided for distribution to the youngsters in the west Kingston community.

Club president Edward Seaga pointed out that Tivoli Gardens, which finished runners-up in the league last season, were found to be the number-one club in the island as it relates to brand recognition in a Don Anderson poll conducted earlier this year. This, among other factors, resulted in them being chosen as the team to be sponsored.

Conditions

"The contract is based on a couple things such as on the field performance. A team has to do well in their league and show that they are of a standard to be sponsored by a company such as Nike," Locker Room Sports' managing director, David Shirley, explained.

"The second thing is how the club operates as a business, how they deal with their affairs. Tivoli Gardens have dealt with their things exceptionally; Mr Seaga is an excellent administrator and based on that, we decided that this is a club that looks good for the future," he further pointed out.

"We are very grateful for this relationship with Nike and Locker Room and that they have selected this club as the club they want to represent them in the industry and we are happy to accept that responsibility," Seaga expressed.

"The amount of money that we have to find every year to run football, netball and basketball is over $20 million. Anything that we can get by way of help with gear, transportation, meals and other things to help the team is a value to the football club," he added.

- R.J.