The late Captain Horace Burrell who, as president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), was central to Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz’ qualification to the senior men’s FIFA World Cup in the late 1990s was an expert marketer.

Even in the bad times when the Reggae Boyz’s fortunes dipped, it seemed “The Captain” was able to woo corporate sponsors to the programme by the sheer force of his personality.

More so in the good times when national football teams prospered on the field of play. At such times, football became the envy of other sporting disciplines, as corporate Jamaica — anxious to boost their individual brands — readily partnered with ‘the beautiful game’.

We are reminded of the colourful Captain Burrell by news of current efforts to raise sponsorship support for national football squads now preparing for major tournaments.

Our reporter reminds us that the senior women, the Reggae Girlz, are preparing to compete in their second-consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held this summer, while the senior men, the Reggae Boyz, are preparing for the Concacaf Gold Cup also in mid-year — ahead of the next World Cup qualifying campaign.

At the age-group level, the Under-20 Reggae Girlz are getting set for the next stage of World Cup qualifying, and the Under-20 Reggae Boyz are now in training camp ahead of their qualifying campaign.

The JFF says all support, in cash or kind, is welcome. And while thanking existing sponsors, it is urging other companies to come on board.

There is little doubt that the JFF’s fortunes have been on the uptick in recent months after a rough patch which included allegations of organisational inefficiency and the controversial departure of former General Secretary Mr Dalton Wint.

Among the pluses have been the contracting of new head coach, celebrated Icelander Mr Heimir Hallgrimsson who guided his country to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and the appointment of respected business executive Mr Dennis Chung as general secretary.

A huge lift was the decision by global sporting brand adidas to be the new kit sponsor for Jamaica’s football.

We recall Mr Chung’s assertion in December that the local football federation “will get 20 per cent of all JFF branded things that they [adidas] sell worldwide …we think that we are going to get a very far way and a lot of benefit from it [adidas deal]…”

We believe also that the Reggae Boyz’s 2-2 draw in the CONCACAF Nation’s League with regional powerhouse Mexico in high altitude Mexico City in late March has triggered new respect, near and far, for Jamaican football.

As part of its drive to promote its product, we note the JFF’s nod to rapidly evolving communication technologies with its launch of a new website. Mr Chung has been reported as saying the website will provide vital information on the nation’s football. It will facilitate ticket purchases, provide information on upcoming matches, and act as a gateway to adidas’s online store.

That’s the way to go, we believe, as the country pushes to maximise the business end of the beautiful game.