Merchandise sales are potentially a very important part of the coffers of any sporting organisation and with Netball Jamaica (NJ) desperately seeking funds to send Sunshine Girls team to this year’s World Cup tournament in Cape, South Africa, the association is making urgent appeals for supporters to buy official fan gear for the event.

The Netball Jamaica gear, which was launched by the association last week, includes T-shirts and hoodies and are now available for purchase at the association’s office in the Corporate Area. The T-shirts cost $5,000 each, while the hoodies are priced at $7,000.

Tricia Robinson, president of NJ, said the aim is to raise over $3 million from the sale of these merchandise. She said the money earned will go directly towards assisting the Sunshine Girls on their journey to South Africa.

“These are quality gear because they are of highest quality and so persons to go out and buy these gears at our office in Kingston or on our sponsor’s website Gilbert.com,” said Robinson.

“The gear depict our culture, our country and team,” she said.

“Our gear sponsors came behind it and our support staff came behind and so a blend of ideas came together and so this is what we are presenting to Jamaica and we hope they will come on board and support us. This is part of our fund-raiser to assist the team to go to Cape Town in South Africa.”

Karen Bough, chairperson of Netball Jamaica’s marketing and sponsorship committee, said the quality of the merchandise are comparable to those of other top sporting brands around the world.

“We are hoping to raise $3 million from merchandising sales and these merchandises are available through Gilbert online for now until we get our own stock here. But the stock that we have here now is shirts and hoodies,” said Bough.

“The qualities are very good because the hoodies are nice and thick because South Africa I heard is going to be pretty cold in the summer and so the Sunshine Girls will be well prepared as well as any supporter who will be there wearing a Netball Jamaica hoodie will be nice and warm down there,” she stated.

The Sunshine Girls, who are ranked fourth in the world, won a historic silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in August last year.

Bough pointed out that based on that performance, she is very optimistic that they will do well at this year’s Netball World Cup tournament.

“I want to encourage everyone to go out and buy these gears because we need the money to help to send the Sunshine Girls to Cape Town, South Africa.

“I am confident that Sunshine Girls are going to make us proud because I know that they will be in that final on August 6, which is also Jamaica’s Independence Day,” Bough stated.