Green ready for challenge of financing Treasure Beach

NEWLY APPOINTED chairman of Jamaica Premier League (JPL) club, Treasure Beach FC, Member of Parliament Floyd Green, says there is a need for corporate support to sustain its premiership status and one of his first tasks is to try and get resources for the club.

Green, the MP for St Elizabeth South Western, replaced businessman Jason Henzell, one of the stalwarts of the club.

“My hope is that as chairman, working with the management team, that we will be able to attract more corporate support to be able to mobilise more financial resources to set the club on a positive financial trajectory for the long term,” Green said, noting that it won’t be easy.

“For us, Treasure Beach being in the Premier League, is much more than just a football club,” added Green.

Coming into the season, Treasure Beach struggled to seek partners to invest and provide sponsorship.

According to Green, running a young football club from rural Jamaica comes with its fair share of challenges in relation to resources.

“Venture resources is a cost to exercise to keep a club in the premiership. Especially if you want them to perform consistently. So, yes, I am aware that the club would have started with some challenges, like most of the newly promoted clubs of rural Jamaica, oftentimes have less corporate to call upon,” Green stated.

Corporate support

Still, Green believes the team’s achievements to date belie the challenges.

“The team is playing well; we have a good set-up and a strong set of guys. If we can remain consistent, I think we can really attract some corporate support,” added Green.

The news of Green’s appointment was announced by the club on Friday afternoon.

“I think clearly with my reach in terms of network, with Treasure Beach there and we are pulling together stakeholders across St Elizabeth and beyond, we can find ways in which we can sustain financing in the future,” Green said.

Meanwhile, Paul Bernard, the president of Treasure Beach FC, said the club is optimistic about Green’s appointment given his status in the community.

“We will grow with him and with him being the chairman, he is already a seller. It’s like you are talking about KFC or Appleton, they don’t need much marketing around them,” Bernard said.

“Mr Green is a son of the soil, so we are looking for bigger things. He is new in the capacity but he will learn the business of football as we go along,” added Bernard.

Bernard stated that Green is seen as a valuable asset to the club which currently lacks a home stadium.

“We don’t have a home but we train at Treasure Beach. Our ground does not have the facility, so we still have to travel 20 miles for home games. I am sure with Mr Green on board now, they will also assist to garner sponsorship to build up the BREDS Sports Complex.

“I am sure that is going to be on our agenda to build up the stadium to the capacity that is accepted by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) so we can have home matches in quick order,” added Bernard.

Treasure Beach, who sit eighth in standings, will host fourth-place Waterhouse FC today at St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) Sports Complex at 3:00 p.m.