MONTEGO Bay United (MBU) President Germaine Spencer has welcomed the “timely” injection of $12 million in sponsorship from Caribbean Producers Jamaica (CPJ), saying they are pleased with the collaboration with local brand and what it brings to the club.

CPJ’s Head of Marketing Kemmar Lewis says this is a growing trend where premium brands are now gravitating to sports.

After finishing fourth last season MBU started the season on Sunday with a 2-2 draw away to Mount Pleasant FA who qualified for the last three finals, winning once.

Spencer told the Jamaica Observer they are an ambitious club with big plans.

“We need the money,” he says. “We have some international players — as you can tell by our roster — we have some well-bred local talent, and we have to pay our players. We’re not selling players at the moment so we have to find proper sponsors to assist us in the process. So, as much as the board can do [is apprecicated]. And we are very proud and we’re happy for the relationship and the trust that CPJ has put into our board and our brand, Montego Bay United.”

Spencer says preparations for this season started even before the end of last season.

“The planning and putting the team together takes money; as you can see we have a new coaching staff and that takes money as well,” he says.

He says partnering with CPJ, a local company with international linkages, is a good look.

“We have to put different resources together and CPJ, being a local company from Montego Bay, [an] international company, we’re proud and we’re happy to have a relationship with them, and [we’re happy about] us coming together and assisting our footballers and our club,” Spencer says.

Lewis says the collaboration was a long time coming.

“Caribbean Producers Jamaica does believe in just the power of unity — and that’s Montego Bay unity,” he says. “When it comes to hospitality, people know us for our white sand beaches, our sunshine, the lush green vegetation but ultimately we don’t want it to be missed, in terms of the people, the fact that Montego Bay encapsulates so much more than just the environment. It’s who we are when it comes to industry, when it comes to goal scoring, when it comes to defending; who we are, that’s what we do, and that’s what we believe Montego Bay United represents.”

While this is the first year of the partnership, Lewis says the plan is for a multi-year sponsorship.

“We have always been CPJ Discover Premium, as you would have seen,” he says. “It’s a trend, a growing trend, and I do believe it’s something that’s going to stick and stay where premium brands, luxury brands, are now gravitating to sports because, again, lifestyle is super important. When it comes to people getting a chance to experience your products, that’s what we believe what’s going to happen and that’s why we have invested in this. We want an opportunity for everybody to experience what CPJ offers. Discover Premium really belongs to everybody so we’re talking about our CPJ bacon or CPJ burgers, or CPJ shrimp — you name it, it’s an opportunity for everyone to experience CPJ.”