THE mention of the name Andrew Price instantly chimes football but rest assured, there is more to this mountain of a man.

From the touchline or dugout, you could not possibly miss the imposing stature, animated gestures, and rising vocalisation of “Big Price” as he launches instructions to his charges.

Price, 54, has crafted himself into the consummate football man — player, coach, and administrator.

As a player he was a standout at St George’s College, winning multiple titles at various age group levels. As he matured he was a feared defender for Boys’ Town Football Club, where he also had title success.

And as a coach he lent his technical savvy to his old club Boys’ Town and now Humble Lion FC of the Jamaica Premier League.

Also, he coached Jamaica’s men’s beach football team but the highlight, Price admitted, was his role as an assistant coach to the historic Reggae Girlz who sent shockwaves through the football firmament when they qualified for the Fifa Women’s World Cup in France, 2019.

Among his range of administrative jobs in the game, he is best remembered for his role as general manager for the dissolved Premier League Clubs Associations (PLCA).

But what few people may know is that the football-loving Price is a man who has navigated the corporate realms of Jamaica, especially as marketing executive.

He has held positions at Facey Commodity Co Ltd as customer service manager, operations manager, and senior brand manager.

But he became better known, particularly to media practitioners, when he moved to J Wray & Nephew Ltd where he served as brand manager, brand and communications manager and marketing manager, spanning 2001 and 2012.

The annual media appreciation parties organised by Price back then were top-shelf and were not to be missed around Christmas time, where world renowned brands flowed to keep spirits high.

“Media parties were an opportunity to reconnect with media practitioners and show them appreciation that they showed the company throughout the year. It was a great relationship-building exercise,” Price recalled.

At J Wray & Nephew, the Florida International University graduate recollects that his core responsibility “was to ensure that the company’s brands continued to build equity and meet consumers’ needs”.

During his time at the Spanish Town Road-based giant, Price was the point man when the company was title sponsor for the Premier League.

“One of my major accomplishments was to assist in making Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum more relevant to a younger target market, and we used the Wray & Nephew Premier League as a vehicle to appeal to a younger demographic,” he shared with the Jamaica Observer.

Price, who described his corporate leadership style as “team-oriented”, pointed to a seismic shift in the marketing landscape compared to his days on the front line.

“Social media has made brands/products more accessible to people globally, and it’s no different in Jamaica. People want products at their fingertips, and technology has provided that access.

“The advent of remote platforms such as Teams, Webex and Zoom have made business and meetings more accessible to individuals with the current COVID-19 protocols. There is no longer the need for physical presence.

“Despite the challenges, one is forced to think outside the box and be nimble on your feet [as] the consumers’ needs have to be fulfilled and you have to get to the consumers’ doorsteps in the shortest possible time,” Price said.

The biggest drawback in the marketing landscape of Jamaica, Price offers, is “the red tape and bureaucracy of doing business in Jamaica”.

“There are too many obstacles and deterrents to deal with simple transactions. Modernisation is important to speed up and complete transactions in the business space,” he opined.

When it comes to sports marketing in Jamaica, Price, who was bestowed the Order of Distinction for outstanding contribution to the development of national football, believes the country is slow out of the blocks.

“Sports marketing is still untapped in Jamaica, and the fact is, we are sitting on a gold mine. We check all the boxes — climate, location, and facilities. Some sporting associations have tapped in already, for example track and field, as athletes from overseas already come here for training. I believe this can be done for other sporting disciplines. All we have do is improve the facilities and they will come,” he reasoned.

Price has two main consuming and competing passions in life — football and marketing and communications. In his perfect world he would want to have both at the same time. The reality is, it’s never a perfect world.

Without having to give up his involvement in football, Price would consider getting back in the corporate game.

“I have always been passionate about marketing and communications, and if the right opportunity presents itself I will jump at it. In the meantime, I will continue to consult. I will never say never though,” he shared.

Price has a younger brother, Stephen, who is making his mark on the corporate tapestry of Jamaica as country manager for Flow and C&W Business.

“It just shows that we were grown up on a solid foundation with great ideals from our parents — my father Clinton and mother Hermin. We are especially, eternally grateful to our mother and how she raised us. We do everything based on the morals and the standards she gave us. It should always be the goal of one generation to make the next generation better,” he said.

Price, who holds degrees in marketing and business administration, says he has a few alter egos that are not as well established as his forays into the corporate space and on the field of play.

“A lot of people may be surprised to know I am a musicologist and, in another life, I was a big entertainment promoter involved with some of largest events seen in this country — for example ‘Beer Vibes’, ‘Hot Shots’ and ‘Soiree’,” he disclosed.

Price, who also attended St Thomas University in Florida, says he is a big fan of Bob Marley’s music and enjoys nothing better than his country’s national dish of ackee and saltfish.

Price, the devout family man, is married to Nicole and they have two children, Xavier and Zhuri.

Editor’s note: Sporting Pro is a profile feature looking at the life of individuals charting a course — simultaneously or alternatively — in sports and mainstream careers.