This year's winner of the T&T Pro Bowl will take away as much as $150,000. This was announced yesterday at the launch of the 2006 edition of the winner-take-all knockout competition, which is being contested by the ten clubs competing in the Trinidad and Tobago Pro League.
Now called the Courts T&T Pro Bowl, the new sponsors, Courts Trinidad Limited, have injected $200,000 in sponsorship-half of which goes in prize money and the other half in advertising and special prizes-into this year's tournament.
Courts have guaranteed a $100,000 prize, which will be increased with the addition of a percentage of the gate receipts during the competition.
Dexter Skeene, chief executive officer of the T&T Pro League, said it was in the interest of the clubs to bring out their supporters if they want to increase the prize money.
"The Pro Bowl, as we are aware, is a winner-take-all competition, where the gates after expenses roll over into the prize pool. We anticipate the winning team this year can take home as much as $150,000. However, that is up to the teams and how well they mobilise their fan base," Skeene said.
Making the cheque presentation on behalf of the sponsors was Cindy Ann Gatt, director of marketing at Courts Trinidad Limited.
She commended the Pro League for developing professional footballers from the local talent pool.
"This provides the players with a viable income stream and our country with a cadre of men and women who can represent us in international competition such as the FIFA World Cup tournament. We are proud to partner with such an organisation.
"Players such as Aurtis Whitley, Cyd Gray, Densill Theobald, Atiba Charles, Anthony Rougier and Clayton Ince, among others, all emerged from the Pro League and represented our country at one point or another on our journey to Germany," said Gatt.
As usual, this year's Pro Bowl promises lots of input from the country's top entertainers, as well as special prizes and competitions for the fans.
Among the innovations is a "Kick For Courts" competition, where winners will win $1,000 and other prizes for hitting a special Courts bullseye. Last year, CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh won $93,000 in prize money after beating Vibe CT105 W Connection 1-0 on a Kerry Noray goal in the Pro Bowl final at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella.
T&T PRO BOWL DRAW: QUALIFYING ROUND
May 9
Superstar Rangers vs Tobago United, Larry Gomes Stadium
Defence Force vs Starworld Strikers, Larry Gomes Stadium
QUARTER-FINAL:
May 12
(A) North East Stars vs Defence Force/Starworld Strikers
(B) United Petrotrin vs W Connection
(C) Joe Public vs Caledonia AIA
(D) Jabloteh vs Superstar Rangers/Tobago United
SEMI-FINALS:
May 17
A vs D (M)
B vs C (N)
FINAL:
M vs N
3rd place playoff-losers M v losers N