Netball Jamaica (NJ) received a massive boost towards this year’s start of the Elite League after Marathon Insurance Brokers handed over a sponsorship cheque for $3 million to be spread over two years.

Joseth Brown, sales manager of Marathon Insurance, handed over her company’s cheque to first vice-president of Netball Jamaica (NJ) Simone Forbes during Friday’s media event, which was held at the Jamaica Olympic Association offices in Kingston.

Brown said her company is delighted to be sponsoring the competition because they are committed to helping with the development of the sport.

“Netball is one of the most popular and loved sports in the world, enjoyed by millions of people of all ages and backgrounds. It is a sport that brings people together, fosters team work, and provides a platform for individuals to showcase their skills and talents,” she said.

“We believe that the future starts with a new generation, and for those reasons we have, for the past decade, been a major sponsor of sporting events, including our Olympians since 2012, the Carifta Games, and now the torch-bearers of the Jamaica Netball Association and the Sunshine Girls.

“This tournament will be a showcase of the best talent in the sport and will provide an opportunity for players to test their skills against the best in the business,” Brown added.

She said the Elite League plays a critical role in the development of the sport, and the competition will help to generate a lot of excitement among the players and fans on a nightly basis.

“At Marathon Insurance Brokers, we believe in the importance of sports and the role it plays in promoting healthy lifestyles and fostering a sense of community,” Brown noted.

The Elite League, which is the country’s top netball competition, was last contested in 2019 as it was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with a lack of sponsorship.

Forbes said that this year’s competition is scheduled to begin on March 10 with four teams and will run for six weeks.

She said the Elite League plays a very vital role in the development of the sport and the association is delighted the competition will be making its return next month.

“We are excited at Netball Jamaica and happy to have Marathon on board for the sponsorship of the Elite League,” said Forbes.

“As you know, the Elite League is the top league in Jamaica and we were not going to have it this year based on the fact that we didn’t have any funding, and when we heard that Marathon came on board with this sponsorship, we were all excited,” she said.

Forbes added that it will cost NJ $6 million to stage this year’s competition, which means “the hunt” is on for additional funding.

“The reformatted version for the Elite League this year is $6 million, so we still need $4.5 million more, and so Marathon has started us off on a good footing, but we are actually on the hunt for more sponsorship,” she said.