MAIN sponsor Red Stripe is on the verge of consummating a “huge” broadcast deal for the 2015-16 Premier League season, just as Saturday football could return to the nation’s top flight, it was announced yesterday. The announcements came at the launch of the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) at the Jamaica Football Federation headquarters.

“As we look to move forward and bring the new season about, we have an amazing announcement coming. We are going to double down on what we did during the play-offs and really create huge broadcast exposure for the Red Stripe Premier League,” said Blandine Jeanpaul-Reid, Red Stripe Jamaica’s head of marketing and innovation.

She declined giving details, saying the deal is yet to be finalised. The marketing head declared, however, that the new arrangement will give “a lot more opportunities” to help “bring the league to the world stage”. Last season, which saw Arnett Gardens FC become RSPL champions, a partnership was brokered with international sports network ESPN FC for broadcast of the play-off stage.

The new season begins on Sunday. Jeanpaul-Reid, who took on the role at the beer company in October 2014, called for “collaboration among the stakeholders” of the RSPL to improve what she described as “an amazing property”.

Edward Seaga, Jamaica’s former Prime Minister and the chairman of the Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA), added that there is the likelihood of Saturday games being played. He said games will still be played on Sunday, as well as on the flagship Monday night programme.

Seaga said new sponsor Carib Cement Company Limited “will add tremendous strength” to the RSPL. He welcomed new entrants University of the West Indies FC, who were promoted along with former champions Portmore United.

Westmoreland-based Reno, also former winners, have now changed their name to FC Reno.

Meanwhile, the relocation of the regional offices for China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) to Panama has coincided with its sponsorship withdrawal from the RSPL.

The Cement Company, a first-time sponsor of the league, is viewed as replacement for CHEC. Alejandro Vares, Carib Cement’s general manager, said he is grateful for the opportunity to partner for the 2015-16 campaign.

“At Carib Cement, we are thankful for the opportunity to co-sponsor the Premier League. We definitely saw a very interesting fit with our main commitment, which is to help build a greater Jamaica,” he said. “We see a great athletic potential in Jamaica, but we also see an opportunity to bring people together.

We look forward to a great season and to be an active part of it,” added Vares, who has Mexican roots. Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) boss Captain Horace Burrell lauded the “tremendous” display from Jamaica’s athletes at the just concluded IAAF World Championships before he congratulated the PLCA (Premier League Clubs Association) and the Professional Footballers Association of Jamaica (PFAJ) for “an outstanding job last season, which culminated one of the most interesting finals seen in recent times”.

“We saw the huge turnout at the National Stadium,” Burrell added, referring to the approximately 18,000 people who attended the final between Arnett and Montego Bay United.

As is customary, the JFF president called on sponsors to support local club football as well as the national teams. The other sponsors of the RSPL are Jamaica Urban Transit Company, Jamaica Beverages through its Busta soft drink brand, Supreme Ventures, Jamaica Observer and KLAS ESPN Radio.

Burrell also encouraged fans to support the Reggae Boyz for Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Nicaragua at the National Stadium. The return game in the two-legged tie is set for next Tuesday in Nicaragua.