Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL) Chief Executive Officer Owen Hill says his team is already in the planning stages to enhance the 2024/25 edition of the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League.

The 2023/24 season concluded on May 19 at the National Stadium with Cavalier FC clinching the championship title in front of nearly 20,000 fans, defeating former champions Mount Pleasant Football Academy in a penalty shoot-out.

Although the teams aren’t slated to return to action until October, Hill told the Jamaica Observer that preparations for the upcoming season have already started.

“We had 30 weeks’ worth of football. What that means is every single week there are things to review and because we’re building out the industry, they’re key strategic initiatives that we’re looking to embark on, so it’s always reviewing, course correcting, improving and setting the bar higher than it was before,” he said.

“The truth is, yes, we can sit and be happy what we’ve done but we also know it’s back to work immediately. We definitely know it’s going to be a long postseason but it’s not just business as usual, it’s going to be ‘how can we better our best?’ and I’m definitely looking forward to that.”

Hill also believes the clubs are taking the league more seriously which makes executing the league easier.

““I think they get it now. They may not always consistently do it, but we have more teams doing it and for that we’re grateful. Yes, there are areas to improve but what you saw generally is an improvement in the overall professionalism, the coaching improved significantly, on the field you saw the tactics and even off the field, because they’re expected to move further in their career, they’re grown. We give thanks because what I’ve seen, I’m happy because they get it,” he said.

The recently concluded season brought in more corporate support, including the return of title sponsor Wray & Nephew in a deal worth $60 million. They also saw an increase of fans, which the Observer understands to be over 150,000 over the eight months of the campaign.

Hill believes the sport is heading in the right direction after witnessing the eight-month competition.

“It’s electric, it’s tiring, it’s stressful, it’s stressful, it’s fun, so it a kaleidoscope of emotions mixed altogether and I think it culminated in the right way. It made all the hard work feel easy in the end and we just keep pushing the limits. Generally, we give ourselves a fair grade and whatever that is not for me to say but the public to judge. Generally also, people are seeing that there’s a positive and upward trajectory of football in Jamaica and for that we’re grateful,” he said.

Hill also praised the PFJL board, led by Chairman Chris Williams, and the small executive team of co-CEO Kemoi Burke, Marketing and Brand Manager Stephen Douglas and Sponsorship and Executions Manager Avery Campbell .

“It’s indescribable, it’s hard to quantify their impact and their involvement. This is a four-member team that can executes week in, week out. They’re hungry and it’s as massive as this. They’re invaluable, they’re generally undervalued, overlooked. Sometimes people might think we have a 40-member team but it’s really the four of us, executing day to day, so I’m grateful and reminded that impossible is nothing,” he said.

“We’re guided by a very tough board. [Chris] is crazy but he means well, he wants local football to grow, he wants players to be professional, he wants the clubs to earn from their return on their investments and I think football is heading in the right direction so for us to be part of that, I’m grateful and I can look back and say we’ve made our impact.”