DESPITE refusing to divulge the financial value of their new five-year sponsorship of the Red Stripe Premier

League, impeccable Sunday Observer sources have revealed the figure to be in the region of $160 million a year, with the total investment over the life of the deal put at some $800 million.

That figure will include sponsorship money paid to the Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA), television broadcast done by Phase 3 Production and other entertainment packages, making the sponsorship one of the biggest in local footballing history.

The previous three-year deal was said to be worth $45 million annually, taking that tally to $135 million.

Only last year, Phase 3 production invested in excess of $10 million to acquire a state-of-the-art DYNO Slow Motion machine to enhance the production of their televised Monday Night Football programme.

At Wednesday’s launch of the Premier League, title sponsor Red Stripe announced their five-year deal despite the uncertainty over the future of the league, with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) insisting on scrapping the current format to introduce a franchise system.

Red Stripe has sponsored top-flight football for the previous three seasons for an undisclosed sum, remaining tight-lipped on the financial details each year.

However, Erin Mitchell, the company’s brand manager, did admit to the Sunday Observer on Wednesday, that it’s a bigger investment this time around.

“It’s bigger and it’s a significant portion of our budget. Of course, we are paying for the production of a television show, activation every Monday night and we are also doing stuff at the Sunday matches,” said Mitchell.

She also noted that the goal of Red Stripe is to provide meaningful benefits to the communities through quality football. Plus, there will be online streaming, instant uploads of replays on social media and the RSPL highlight show, a broad-based effort to make the game more interactive and exciting.

Mitchell was also quoted as saying that her organisation’s sponsorship of the league and partnership with the PLCA, will help the 12 participating clubs reinvest money to strengthen their operations, contribute towards marketing and promotion of the league and reward football fans through consumer activations.

Last season, champion Montego Bay United took home the top prize money of $2.5 million with runners-up Waterhouse pocketing $1.5 million for finishing top of the standings at the end of the preliminary stage.