Richer Digicel Cup kicks off Sept 2

[Lazie]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Richer Digicel Cup kicks off Sept 2</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>ANDREW HANCEL, Observer staff reporter
Friday, August 18, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=365 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>(From left) JFF president Crenston Boxhill; Barbados national player Norman Ford; Reggae Boy Jermaine Taylor; CFU's senior vice president Captain Horace Burrell, and Ben Atherton, Digicel's marketing director, examine the CFU trophy that will be up for grabs during the 2006/07 Digicel Caribbean Cup. (Photo: Michael Gordon)</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Digicel increased its sponsorship of the 2006/07 Digicel Caribbean Cup in excess of a million United States dollars, under the theme, "life, passion, football, befitting any world event".<P class=StoryText align=justify>At the Terra Nova Hotel yesterday, the telecommunications company and the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), offically launched the Caribbean Digicel Cup, which runs from September 2, 2006 through to February 11, 2007. It is now the second year that Digicel is sponsoring the event
A record 25 participating teams will enter the tournament's 15th edition, making it the largest ever regional football competition, with all of 73 competitive matches already scheduled.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The investment of the Caribbean's fastest growing telecommunications operator will see the ultimate champions getting US$120,000 in prize money, while US$70,000, US$50,000, US$30,000 will be given to the respective team that finishes in second, third and fourth spots.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Additionally, each host country will be granted a subsistence package valuing US$20,000, as the competition's new format includes 10 preliminary qualifying groups.<P class=StoryText align=justify>All group matches will be played at the selected host country of the groups, with the opening preliminary-round games taking place during next month in six host countries, namely, Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, Curacao, Guadeloupe, Jamaica and the US Virgin Islands.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The second preliminary-round of games is dated to take place in November at venues to beconfirmed.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The fact that they will be the host country, Trinidad and Tobago received a bye to the tournament's eight-team finals and in addition, will receive US$150,000 for being the host.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The top two teams in each of the original six groups will advance to the second preliminary round, with the first- and scond-placed teams in the three groups, along with the winner of the fourth group, going on to Port-of-Spain.<P class=StoryText align=justify>According to Digicel's marketing director, Ben Atherton, the increase in investment is a matter of applying similar principles in the telecommunications industry, as they look to develop bigger and better football for regional fans.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"The key thing for us is to be giving our customers what they want. In mobile, that means giving them the best services, the best network, the most innovations and the best value," Atherton told the Observer.

"Now, if you apply that principle to sponsorship, what that means is, we want to be tapping into their key passion, which is football, and football is a huge passion of all the Caribbean nations. So that's why we want to invest so much in growing this competition," added the marketing chief.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Both Digicel and the CFU declined to give the total value of the sponsorship package, although football's governing body, FIFA, has mandated all of i

[Hortical]

RE: Richer Digicel Cup kicks off Sept 2

Jah bless Irish entrepreneur Denis O'Brien for giving back to Caribbean football. Dem mek a bag of money since investing in the region, and tis good fi see dem playing the role of a responsible corporate partner.

[Karl]

RE: Richer Digicel Cup kicks off Sept 2

Digicel Cup kicks off next month
published: Friday | August 18, 2006 <DIV class=KonaBody>

LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter


Captain Horace Burrell (second right), senior vice-president of the Caribbean Football Union, gestures to Ben Atherton (right), Digicel marketing director, during the launch of the Digicel Caribbean Cup at the Terra Nova Hotel yesterday. At left is Crenston Boxhill, Jamaica Football Federation president. Beside him is Barbados player Norman Ford, and Jamaican defender Jermaine Taylor holds the Digicel Cup. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer.

THE SECOND Digicel Caribbean Football Cup was launched yesterday at the Terra Nova Hotelin Kingston with the organisers promising a bigger and better tournament.

The tournament kicks off on September 2 and runs until February 11 and will include 25 teams - an increase from 20 in the previous tournament. The winner's prize money has also been increased by 20 per cent to US$120,000.

Senior vice-president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), Captain Horace Burrell, lauded Digicel for its support and pointed out that for the first time the sponsor will provide each host country in the preliminary rounds an allowance of US$20,000. The total value of the sponsorship was not announced.

The six groups, group members and the dates they will play the preliminary round are as follows (host country named first): Group A -Netherlands Antilles, Suriname, Guyana, Grenada and Suriname, September 6-10. Group B - Antigua, Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis and Barbados, September 20-24. Group C - US Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, Bermuda and British Virgin Islands, September 26-30. Group D - Jamaica, Haiti, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, September 26-October 1. Group E - Cuba, Cayman Islands, Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, September 2-6. Group F - Guadeloupe, St. Martin, Martinique and Dominica, September 20-24.

Second round in october, november

The top two teams from each group will advance to the second round which will be played in October and November. From there, the top seven teams will advance to the final round where they will join Trinidad and Tobago. The Soca Warriors received a bye as they are the host for the final round in January and February next year. As hosts, they will receive US$150,000.

Burrell said the CFU was grateful for Digicel's commitment to Caribbean football.

"By continuing to investin the growth of the region's leading tournament, Digicel is playing a key role in the development of football talent in the region," said Burrell.

"An expanded Digicel Caribbean Cup with a final tournament similar to other international competitions will help young players gain experience in international tournaments, improve their skill and ultimately assist future World Cup qualification campaigns," he said.

Jamaica are the defending champions for the Digicel Cup.</DIV>