St Thomas FA tickled pink over million-dollar boost

Lascelles Logan, St Thomas Football Association president, has hailed McKay Security’s record-breaking $1-million Major League prize money as a “major boost” amid the firm’s overall $5.1m sponsorship package of the parish’s football.

Speaking at Ash Wednesday’s launch of the Serge St Thomas Major League, an elated Logan thanked McKay Security’s Jessica Jackson for the security firm’s commitment to the parish.

“McKay Security’s $1m prize money to the winners of the Major League, moving from $200,000, was Dr Jason McKay acknowledging that the winning team would need a significant sum to assist in the play-offs on the way to what will hopefully be a Jamaica Football Federation National Tier 2 Championship spot, the stepping stone to the Premier League,” Logan pointed out.

The Major League kicked off with a nine-goal thriller, Bath Sports Club beating Prospect 5-4 in the opening match of a double-header at York, much to the delight of sponsors Serge Island Dairies, McKay Security, and Xpress Sports.

White Horses afterwards started their title defence with a 1-0 victory over Heartsease United following the official launch in which teams were introduced to sponsors’ representatives Jackson, Xpress Sports’ Matthew Christie, and Serge Island’s Brand Manager, Deidra Grey.

Jackson detailed McKay Security’s sponsorship, pointing out that in addition to the $1-million Major League prize money, the firm had also committed $800,000 towards the league’s operational expenses as well as a broadcast deal, valued at $1m, in which the final will be shown live on CVM television.

“We are proud to once again be part of the St Thomas football fraternity and look forward to the day when the parish, spurred by this level of sponsorship, again rises to the pinnacle of local football,” said Jackson.

Underlining McKay Security’s commitment to youth development, Jackson noted the firm being title sponsor of the under-17 league into which it will pump $2.3m, in addition to a partnership with Restaurants of Jamaica, providing two buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken, one per team, on match days, a deal valued at $1m.

St Thomas once fielded Premier League teams such as White Horses and star-studded Port Morant United, which twice made the semi-finals, featuring national players such as Hugh ‘Bingi’ Blair, Wayne Palmer, Lenworth ‘Teacher’ Hyde, Richard ‘Duck’ Green, Dane Walker, and Peter Cargill, as well as Trinidadian internationals Russell Latapy and Leonson Lewis, coached by Jackie Walters and later Alan ‘Skill’ Cole.