TT Pro League Chief Executive Officer Dexter Skeene is of the considered view that the League and its stakeholders will be better served if games are played on the Friday and Saturday of each week.
Skeene is proposing that Super Friday double headers will continue, having been well received during the 2009 season. While Saturday games will be played in the various communities.
According to Skeene, he received extensive feedback from fans, players, coaches and sponsors in respect of the need for the league to review its strategic marketing plan.
“I’ve had to examine all the factors in the context of the current economic environment. The TT Pro League is now at a point in its life cycle where bold and radical steps must be taken. In such circumstances I have proposed to the board that a change in format and playing days is a strategic imperative.
Another objective is to create the environment that will allow a TT Pro League club to win the CONCACAF Champions’ League by 2013" said Skeene.
Skeene added that current TT Pro League, club sponsors and potential sponsors will also benefit from the enhanced strategic marketing platform offered by the new format.
The TT Pro League Board of Directors will meet next Tuesday to further discus the proposed format.
The proposed format also has to be discussed with the Caribbean Football Union and CONCACAF to synchronize with their calendars of the Caribbean Club Championship and CONCACAF Champions’ League to allow for rest periods for players in June and July.
I. BENEFITS TO FANS
Paper based and oral market surveys have shown that fans love the Friday night lime environment where there is a DJ, entertainment and giveaways. Digicel has continued to activate their sponsorship on the Fridays with the Digicel girls present together with giveaways. For the 2010 season they are expected to include other items to assist with enhancing interest, such as texting competitions and increased advertising through the use of their technology.
Weekend games would enable more fans to attend—as the fans would not have to deal with the traffic factor that is present during the week. In addition surveys indicate that work and family commitments are also a constraint. On the weekend attending a Pro League game can be seen as a family activity/outing.
In the past, five games were scheduled on the same day making it difficult for fans to attend more than one match.
II. BENEFIT TO PLAYERS
With the games on the weekend the players will benefit from increased attendances thereby increasing their motivation which will redound to improved performances. The highly charged atmosphere will help to translate into better overall performances as the excitement and increased crowd support will aid in bringing a sense of loyalty, passion, pride and enthusiasm to their play. This will lend itself to increased energy and arousal levels to heights that should improve the overall standard of play.
The rest during the week will also assist in the recovery time needed to help players recuperate and heal any injury obtained after the past weekend’s game.
III. BENEFIT TO COACHES AND TRAINERS
The coaches will appreciate the extended period of time during the week to prepare the team from several standpoints.
i. Physically the enhanced time will allow the trainers to be better able to increase the fitness levels of the players and a fitter player will be able to increase the speed of play which is a goal of the League. The player will thus be able to compete more effectively at the highest level internationally.
ii. Secondly, tactically, the greater planning period for coaches will give them the opportunity to plan and strategize for the upcoming game thereby producing a better product on the field of play.
iii. Finally, increased preparation time will afford the coaches the opportunity to work on improving the technical skill of each player, which, if achieved, will improve how each player executes his function to better execute the coaches instructions, to ultimately benefit the team’s performance. The sum of the individual parts is greater than the sum of the whole.
IV. BENEFIT TO LEAGUE
The weekend games would allow the League to better plan and execute its marketing campaign. With the advent of a weekly round-up of games on television which would include-:
i. Highlights of the past week, upcoming matchups
ii. Human interest stories and community events
iii. The League will be better prepared to assist the television station to collate the information necessary to promote the weekend games and to focus on just one round of games. This will make the competitions easier to follow from a fan perspective, easier to collate the information and produce the show from the league and station’s perspective making the coverage more effective.
iv. There will be increased time to have a build up to hype each week’s games and the opportunity to create more human interest stories and develop stories around the various rivalries existing among the teams, coaches and players.
v. The League will have the opportunity to improve the administration of the competitions and be more efficient in carrying out its duties. This entails the more detailed examination of referees and match commissioners reports, compilation of statistics emanating from the games, time to schedule player seminars and meetings for coaches, trainers, match commissioners, referees and other stakeholders.
V. BENEFIT TO SPONSORS
I. Sponsors will now be able to focus their activation on the weekends and also be able to increase brand awareness and brand activation and becoming more visible at games. This will also be a selling point for the League and the clubs to attract greater levels of sponsorship.
II. If the sponsors know that more people will attend games thereby increasing the market that views the games, this will attract a greater level of sponsorship from existing sponsors and bring on board new sponsors.
VI. CONCLUSION
It is further proposed that the League schedule be in line with the European calendar which runs from August to May. This will assist the TT Pro League to be in sync with major Leagues in Europe and FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup. It will also allow for CFU and CONCACAF club championship games to be played during the week without interfering with the Pro League season.