Boyz, Guatemala match called off

[Hortical]

Boyz, Guatemala match called off
published: Sunday | July 20, 2008

Gordon Williams, Contributor

Lack of support from the local Jamaican community has been blamed for the cancellation of a planned friendly football international between the Reggae Boyz and Guatemala in Chicago, United States.

The game, which was scheduled for August 6 as a warm-up for Jamaica's upcoming World Cup qualifiers, was called off by the promoters after they could not guarantee a sizeable attendance by Reggae Boyz fans and feared huge money loss.

"(This week) we went and investigated the area and found that there was no way to reach the Jamaican community in Chicago," Hugo Bandi, a representative of Power Promotions, the US-based company which was staging the game, said on Friday.

" ... It was really financial suicide if we were not able to reach the Jamaican community."

Lack of Jamaican support

According to Bandi, there was virtually no Jamaican media to help promote the game. He said a crowd of 10,000 at Chicago's Toyota Park would have been enough for the promoters to break even.

However, he added that while they could expect some 7,000 Guatemalan supporters at the match, the promoters were unsure where to find the remaining 3,000.

"Where was the Jamaican support going to come from?" he asked Friday.

The promoters said they had agreed to terms with the Jamaica Football Federation and that the JFF bore no blame for their decision to call off the game. He admitted that the decision was a big blow.

"It is a disappointment to both of us," explained Bandi, who said he informed the JFF of the cancellation a couple days ago by email. He said there are no plans to find another date or venue for the game.

The cancellation of the Guatemala game means the Reggae Boyz have only one confirmed scheduled warm-up match before facing Canada in a CONCACAF semi-final World Cup fixture on August 20 in Toronto. They travel to Frisco, Texas, another US city, to play El Salvador on July 26.

Gordon Williams is a Jamaican journalist based in the United States.

[Hortical]

Smart move by the promoters, since dem can't afford fi lose dem shirt. Staging the game in an area with a much larger Jamaican community would have been little more feasible. But then again, I would not advise a promoter to put up dem money, unless they get a significant amount of sponsorship to cover their costs, and the game is held in an area with a very large Jamaican community.

[Mosiah]

The Jamaican community in the US is fickle when the Reggae Boyz are doing great, so it was always going to be difficult these days. And it's not a marketing problem, we are just some serious bandwagonists and not real football fans.

[Time]

NY/NJ or Florida

Smart move by the promoters, since dem can't afford fi lose dem shirt. Staging the game in an area with a much larger Jamaican community would have been little more feasible. But then again, I would not advise a promoter to put up dem money, unless they get a significant amount of sponsorship to cover their costs, and the game is held in an area with a very large Jamaican community.

Should be able to provide a huge fan base. The expenses would rise but so would the number of fans.

[Hortical]

There is a relatively new stadium near Hartford, and the US used it for a 2006 WC against T&T. If we had descent fans it would not be a bad idea for the Boyz to square off there.

When the Boyz played the US at Gillette Stadium in the Gold Cup a few years ago, there had to be less than 200 Boyz fans in attendance! Promoting a match featuring the Boyz will always be risky with bandwaggon fans.

[Mosiah]

I agree! Only a billionaire like a Sandford could risk such a venture. And he would stop after the first effort.

[Me]

As much as the marketing is poor, most Jamaicans simply are not that passionate about the team. You have a few die hards and then everybody else will jump on the winning team, media hype wagon. The match them in foreign is more of a social outing than anything.

[HL]

What mosiah...are you trying to say jamaicans love cricket over football?

Bit by bit you are falling in line with my teachings.

That was not too painful...was it?

[Bruce]

The "match" was NEVER announced on the Chicago Fire, Toyota Park, Ticket Master Chicago, JFF, or Guatemala FA websites.

I am extremely disappointed that the "match" was cancelled. Chicago is a two-hour drive from here.

[Hortical]

Looks like they did not know how to promote the event. Last month a reggae show in CT with Third World attracted less than 50 people at the show. I am normally in tuned with the music, but I ongle heard about the event a week before. Also, the promoter was not from the community and he normally promoted rock shows in the past. One ting for sure, dem lose a bag of money!

[Mosiah]

Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

HL, mek me and you put on a cricket match in NY, nuh? Forget Jamaica, mek wi bring een di Windies gainst India.

Yuh can tek 100% of the profits.

[HL]

You might be saying this in gest; but a west indies v. india (one day cricket match in Ny) could net any promoter a tidy fortune.

do not underestimate the indian and west indian population in the tri-state area. they have disposable income.

i would seek the help of my indian friends with marketing help...........

i would split the profit.

[Assasin]

Nuff Indians woulda deh deh bigtime. Yardman unless it a keep a flatbush, queens or Vancourtland park and some food pon di side them nah come.