DRAX HALL, St Ann — Excitement is building for today’s start of the Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League with four games, including a double-header at Drax Hall in St Ann.

Mt Pleasant FC will start the defence of their first title when they host former champions Portmore United in the second game of the St Ann double-header, set to kick off at 3:15 pm following the opening game between former champions Montego Bay United and promoted Lime Hall Academy.

The other promoted team, Treasure Beach FC of St Elizabeth, travel to Effortville in Clarendon to face Humble Lions in a 3:00 pm game, the same time former winners Tivoli Gardens and Waterhouse FC will meet at National Stadium.

Owen Hill, CEO of Professional Football Jamaica Limited (organisers of the competition), told Jamaica Observer on Saturday that everything from an organisational perspective is in place and that expectations are high for an exciting season.

“All the necessary administrative and operational elements are being executed, the pre-game preparations are going on now,” he said, adding that the organisers are “excited about the start of the competition”, which he said is a part of “community development and nation building”.

Mt Pleasant finally achieved their ambitions last season when Theodore Whitmore led them to the title. On that successful run, they drew 0-0 with Portmore in two meetings last season.

Portmore United just missed the play-offs last season by a point after drawing a league-high 13 games, winning just nine.

In the first game MBU, who are under a new ownership group which includes hotel chain Sandals Resorts and led by Montego Bay businessman Yoni Epstein, will hope to win their first-ever opening game of the Premier League season.

Last season, a goal in stoppage time against Portmore United at Drax Hall saw them start the season with a point, but Brazilian Neider Dos Santos hopes that with him being at the helm from the preseason, the only western-based club in the competition will have a bigger impact this time around.

Lime Hall Academy were runners-up to Treasure Beach in last season’s Tier II (now JFF Championships) but will come into the competition with high hopes and will be boosted by playing their opening game in front of home fans.

Treasure Beach will be the first team from St Elizabeth playing in the Premier League for the first time in over 40 years, and will carry the hopes of a large portion of the island which has not had any representation at the highest level for a long time.

They will open against a Humble Lions team that qualified for the play-offs last season and will hope to be contenders again this year.

Former kingpins Tivoli Gardens and Waterhouse FC are coming off forgettable seasons and will be eager to make amends.

Waterhouse FC finished eighth— three spots above Tivoli Gardens — and neither were contenders last season, and actually struggled for long spells.

TODAYS’S GAMES

Lime Hall Academy vs Montego Bay United – Drax Hall 1:15 pm

Mt Pleasant FC vs Portmore United – Drax Hall 3:15 pm

Tivoli Gardens FC vs Waterhouse – National Stadium 3:00 pm

Humble Lions vs Treasure Beach FC – Effortville Community Centre 3:00 pm