Christopher Gayle is back in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), this time not with bat in hand, but as a sponsor.

The Jamaica Tallawahs legend and retired West Indies great, Gayle, has thrown his weight behind the newly rebranded Jamaica Kingsmen franchise through his premium rum brand, Rich Rum, which is produced by Triple Gold Rums Limited. The two-year deal with the Kingsmen is aimed at putting Jamaican pride back at the centre of the CPL.

Atishai Mansingh, head of franchise operations for the Jamaica Kingsmen, confirmed the partnership, calling it “a definition of a local product.

“This partnership means everything to us because this is a definition of a local product and we are a local team. We know that to be able to invest in a country… once you put national pride behind any Jamaica team, the people will listen and the people will follow and they will support you,” Mansingh told the Jamaica Observer during a press conference to announce the partnership at Sabina Park on Wednesday.

For the Kingsmen, Mansignh said landing Gayle was about more than money. It was about energy.

“By including somebody like Chris Gayle, who is not just the heartbeat of Jamaica Ccricket, he’s now going be the heartbeat of Sabina Park stands and the fan experiences that he’s contributed to on the field, now he’s contributing to off the field,” Mansignh stated.

Gayle won two CPL titles with the Tallawahs and one with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, and Mansingh said that with his partnership, the Kingsmen are also focused on bringing cricket back to life at Sabina Park. The venue hasn’t hosted CPL games since 2019.

“It’s really amazing. If you look at what we have missed out on since 2019 in hosting games, it has shown us that Sabina Park was known for a party stadium and a football stadium more than a cricket stadium… what we’re looking forward to the most is having a full stadium. Everybody always says that Sabina Park has the best atmosphere so we just want to recreate that,” the franchise head said.

Mansignh also said that the Kingsmen are “here to stay”.

“The Kingsmen are here and it’s not like we’re here to disappear anytime soon. We have a lot of work that we have to get done within Jamaica and the team moving forward and so we are looking to have Rich Rum with us all the way,” he ended.

Ian MacDonald, chief executive officer at Triple Rums Limited, said the partnership with his company and the Jamaica Kingsmen, was a “natural fit” because of Gayle’s DNA and the team’s Jamaican roots.

“This is near and dear, it’s part of Chris’ DNA so it’s a natural fit. I’m a P and L [profit and loss] guy so everything has to have a return on the investment and I see this as a great investment. I believe in the Jamaican Kingsmen, I believe having a CPL product back in Jamaica is important, I think the Kingsmen will put a quality product on the field, and I think this will expose our brand to many Jamaicans who are just trying it for the first time,” MacDonald noted.

MacDonald said the deal works on both levels — heart and balance sheet.

“From a business perspective, it is about dollars and cents in a P and L for me but or Chris I think it touches his heart more. There has to be that balance…you can’t do everything on your heart, it has to make business sense but luckily for us this one makes sense on both levels because we have a product that fits well with the Kingsman and it’s targeted for Jamaicans; so it’s a great fit,” he stated.

A locked fist on heart and business, Atishai Mansingh (left), head of franchise operations for the Jamaica Kingsmen, and Ian MacDonald, chief executive officer at Triple Gold Rums Limited, seal the two-year partnership between the Jamaica Kingsmen and Rich Rum during a press conference held at Sabina Park on Wednesday. (Photos: Garfield Robinson)