MATTER FIXED
At last, a final agreement has been reached between the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) and the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs. The settlement was announced yesterday at a media conference, held at the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs office on Abercromby Street, Port of Spain.
Present at yesterday's media conference was Hunt, TTFF vice-president Raymond Tim Kee; Ashwin Creed, deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Sport and Youth affairs; and Kenneth Charles, CEO of the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago.
Over the past few months, Hunt and TTFF special adviser Jack Warner have been in conflict, after the Ministry's imposed a user fee of $150,000 or 10 per cent of gate receipts for use of Government sports facilities. FIFA vice-president Warner initially threatened to play T&T's home matches abroad, possibly in the United States, before grudgingly agreeing to pay Government's flat fee.
Yesterday, however, Minister Hunt announced that the $150,000 flat fee has now been waived, and the TTFF will also pay a reduced percentage of just eight percent of gates collected. However, that arrangement holds only for World Cup qualifiers, and any other matches which the Ministry deems "commercial activity" will fall under an established standard. Hunt felt the current agreement was beneficial to both parties.
"In relation to the staging of international events, a grading system has been adopted and rental charges of a flat fee or ten per cent of gate receipts be used as the sum for rental fees. For 2010 World Cup qualifiers however, the Ministry has decided to waive the flat fee and accept eight per cent of the gross gate receipts which we expect will be paid within five working days of the match," Hunt declared. "We believe that our national footballers and indeed their competitors should be afforded the best possible facilities to play and practice. It is also imperative to note that Trinidad and Tobago football belongs to the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago and that the relevant authorities are simply entrusted to administer the sport to the overall benefit of the citizenry," Hunt said.
Further to the initial agreement for use of the Hasely Crawford Stadium for World Cup matches, the sports minister announced that a grade system has been put in place to cover other "commercial" TTFF matches based on the FIFA rankings of the opposing teams.
For Grade A matches, involving teams ranked 1-15 by FIFA, the TTFF will pay $150,000 or ten per cent of gates for rental of the national stadiums. Grade B matches (opposing teams ranked 15-50) will cost $60,000 or ten per cent of gates; and Grade C (teams ranked 50-75) $20,000 or ten per cent of gates. All matches involving the TT Pro League, national youth teams, the women's national team or international men's teams ranked over 75 by FIFA will fall under Grade D and will cost $3,000 or ten per cent of gates to rent.
The Sport Minister described the agreement as a happy resolution to their objectives, while TTFF representative Tim Kee said: "It is something we can work with." He further added that because of the urgency of the matter, the TTFF executive are likely to meet this week to discuss and probably ratify the agreement.
PROPOSED STRUCTURE FOR RENTAL OF NATIONAL STADIUMS: (WORLD CUP MATCHES)
(1) Eight per cent of gate receipts to be paid within 5 working days, after which interest will accrue at 12 per cent per annum.
(2) Twenty-five per cent of net perimeter advertising revenue, not including the use of the scoreboard.
(3) Ten per cent vendor/concession fees.
(4) Free access to media boots, VIP Lounge and VIP parking.
(5)Two thousand dollar ($2,000 energy fee).
(6) The Minister's box extended to 100 persons, including four seats for the Minister of Sport.
(7) Sale of alcohol prohibited except with written permission of stadium management. This will be decided on a case by case basis.