SKNFA Seeks Partnerships with Corporate Community.

Basseterre, St. Kitts, 25th September 2015 – The St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) today made a pitch for support to the corporate community during a breakfast meeting at the Ocean Terrace Inn, as part of its efforts to advance football in the federation.

SKNFA President Anthony Johnson made the case that football plays an important role in the lives of many young people by providing opportunities for further education, by reducing the potential for anti-social behavior and by being a life-changer in general.

In explaining why the corporate community should invest in St. Kitts and Nevis football development, he proposed several advantages in doing so. He said, “So you may ask, why should I invest in football in St. Kitts and Nevis? Football in our country is the largest community based activity. Practically every village or community fields a team. Football has an extremely large, loyal and diverse following among all areas – social, political and economic backgrounds.”

Johnson noted also that the nine-month long league receives wide media coverage using radio, television, social media and online news entities.

SKNFA-Gen-SecThe occasion was used by General Secretary Stanley Jacobs to outline some of the activities undertaken by the SKNFA. He pointed out that the SKNFA coordinates several tournaments and engagements, such as Women’s Football, First and Premier Division Tournaments, Grassroots Football and Youth Football, as well as developmental training with coaches and referees.

Jacobs also spoke to the matter of cost in carrying out the extensive program of the SKNFA in its endeavor to take football to its highest level possible. During the 2015 – 2016 football season, he said there were six [national] active teams involved in international competitions representing a major cost to the SKNFA.

He informed, “The bulk, 85 to 90 percent, of any grant funding goes toward financing our national teams in competitions… To take a team comprising 30 persons to a competition is a significant cost. Airfare and hotel accommodation are what ‘eat’ the bulk of the SKNFA resources.”

This situation, he explained, is true not only for St. Kitts and Nevis, as well as for every territory within the Caribbean region. Jacobs stated, “We all face the same challenges – high airfare, high hotel costs.” Other costs are associated with programs such as the development of coaches and referees, as well as the expansion of football in Nevis.

Christine-WalwynSKNFA marketing consultant, Dr. Christine Walwyn, outlined ways in which the corporate community can get involved in the development of football while gaining increased brand recognition along with several significant perks. Corporate partnership is flexible but has at its core four categories, namely Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze.

Walwyn told the potential sponsors, “We know football is the most popular sport in the federation. We know that it is a favorite pastime, but we need to concentrate on it for economic empowerment, social responsibility and as a means to keep our youth away from crime.