Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL), Owen Hill, says J Wray & Nephew Limited’s return as title sponsors for the Jamaica Premier League after a 16-year absence is testament to the league’s growth.

The distillery giant first sponsored the league in 2002 but ended their partnership with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) after terminating their contract without penalty in 2007.

However, they have signed a new three-year deal worth $60 million.

Speaking to the Jamaica Observer, Hill says both PFJL and Wray and Nephew are aligned in their quest to improve football on the island.

“What we showed them was the value in the product and we sold them the vision, and incidentally, they had the same vision. It was an easy merger and they were very happy in jumping on board and I think it will augur well for the football,” said Hill.

“This is a three-year partnership so it gives us a level stability in planning and forecasting and I think the players, communities, clubs will benefit from this partnership.”

Public relations and communications manager at J Wray and Nephew Limited, Dominic Bell, wants the partnership to push players to higher heights.

“Football, to us, is a part of the social fabric of Jamaica. We were within football in the past and are currently in other sports, but we said to ourselves the one piece missing for us is Jamaica’s most popular sport, football,” said Bell.

“I definitely think that the JPL, season after season, is getting more professional and commercialised. I think that’s our role here, how do we improve the standard of our home-grown players to not only play at the highest level in the JPL but to also be considered for transfer to teams whether in Europe, North America, and also be integrated into the national team set-up?”

President of the JFF, Michael Ricketts, hailed the PFJL for securing the deal and is confident the league will continue to thrive.

“When I saw the final of the last JPL, I just knew football was in good hands. When this JFF took the decision to ask Chris Williams to chair the PFJL, I lost friends because of it, and right now I’m losing votes [in the upcoming presidential election],” Ricketts told the Observer.

“But the truth is our decision has been vindicated because Chris and his team have really marketed the sport of football. What has happened over the last few seasons augurs well for the growth of the sport.”

The 14-team competition will kick off on Sunday, October 22 with newly promoted Treasure Beach FC of St Elizabeth and Lime Hall of St Ann set to make their debuts.

There will be two curtain-raisers with the Powerade finals rematch between defending champions Mount Pleasant Academy and Cavalier at Drax Hall Sports Complex on Sunday and the Boom El Clasico clash between Arnett Gardens and Waterhouse at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Monday.