With just less than three weeks to go before the start of the much-anticipated Jamaica Elite Men’s Netball competition, Shawn Murdock, the chief organiser, said $500,000 is desperately needed to stage the tournament.

The elite league, the island’s top men’s netball competition, is in its third staging and will feature some of the island’s best men’s netball players. The competition, scheduled to start on February 25, is to feature four teams, including defending champion Jaguars, along with Spartans, Knights, and Vikings.

“We need $500,000 to run the league this year. We have been sending out letters, but we haven’t received any positive response as yet, and so we are on the hunt for funds to ensure that this year’s staging is indeed possible,” said Murdock.

“This is our version of the elite league, and it is the best of the best guys locally who are playing in this league.

“We have been using money from our pockets for mobilisation cost, and so I am hoping that there will be some green light in terms of funding coming through before the league starts,” he added.

He explained that last year’s competition, fully sponsored by the Government of Jamaica, had sold-out attendance at the venue.

Murdock also highlighted that the competition provides an opportunity for players to be selected for the Jamaica Suns men’s netball team.

“Last year was very exciting because we got the stadium full for every match day that we had, and we got some good coverage for the media, so we want to ensure that the staging for 2024 is even better than what we did last year.

“The players are ready for this year’s competition because a lot of opportunities are presenting themselves for male netball, as there are a number of male leagues playing across the globe,” Murdock asserted.

“Also, a number of players from this tournament will have represented the [Jamaica] Suns in a Test series in the United Kingdom last year. We are also expecting some opportunities to come for male netball this year in the region,” said Murdock, who is the assistant coach of Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls team.

He said the male leagues have been growing significantly across the globe, and therefore, there are a lot of opportunities opening up for players in Jamaica and across the region.

“There is also the potential for a return tour from England to Jamaica for early next year, so those are things that we are looking forward to, and so the guys are more engaged in the whole process.

“There are more opportunities that exist for playing the sport, and so we are expecting this year’s Elite League to be a show-stopper as the national coaches will be watching on,” he said.