Stokely Vale FC, winner of the Premier Division of the Tobago Football Association Competition will on Saturday be presented with its earnings of $50,000 for the 2017 season, when the Prizegiving Ceremony takes place at the Fair Field Complex in Bacolet Tobago from 5pm.
The amount was reduced from the original $100,000 due to challenges with gate receipts, reduced allocation from the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), rescheduled matches due to unsuitable playing surfaces, unmarked pitches, waterlogged perimeters, inadequate lighting and non-functioning equipment among others, a release from the TFA stated yesterday.
TFA president Anthony Moore said the reduction in prizes was necessary and was communicated to the clubs.
According to Anthony, "As you are well aware, the 2017 season was envisaged as a year of transition to self-sufficiency for the Tobago Football Association, with proposed record-breaking increases in prize-money to clubs and gate revenue sharing arrangements with Premier Division Clubs." He said his association could not honour its commitment due to the reasons listed above.
"The full impact of the above factors resulted in a prolonged 2017 season and negatively impacted the ability of the TFA to achieve its budgeted gate revenues at our two main paying venues - the Cyd Gray Complex, Roxborough and Mt. Pleasant Recreational Ground," Moore explained.
He noted, "We are currently reviewing our proposed prize structure for 2018 in keeping with the new fiscal reality in Tobago and the intention is to achieve some degree of parity with other Zones in Trinidad."
Moore, a member of the Board of the T&T Football Association, said he was grateful that, in spite of the challenges, his association was able to complete its Premier, 1st Division, Tobago FA, RBL Youth Cup, NLCB Elite Youth, and THA District Games Competitions.
Apart from Stokely Vale, Signal Hill United is also set to walk away with $25,000 from its original $40,000 amount for placing second, while Sidey FC will collect $15,000 for third instead of the initial $20,000 prize.
Meanwhile, in the First Division, FC Goodwood will collect a $20,000 winner's cheque while Moriah Youths and Carnbee Mt Pleasant will receive $12,000 and $8,000 respectively.