McKay Security showers St Mary FA with $1m sponsorship

FOR three years, James Pearson, president of St Mary FA, thought it would never rain, now it pours, $1.5m in sponsorship for its rebranded McKay Security Major League, which kicks off tomorrow and a guarantee that the parish’s Under-17 league will be played for the first time in three seasons.

“I am a faith-based person and I must thank God Almighty for this divine intervention. I cannot have enough gratitude to Dr Jason McKay and McKay Security, who have taken us out of a serious depression, plus the $500,000 committed from Member of Parliament Robert Montague,” Pearson told The Gleaner yesterday, disclosing that the parish’s top league would now be named the McKay Security St Mary FA Major League.

“From nothing in three years, we now have a sponsorship package of $1.5m. Dr McKay has committed $1m from McKay Security, which he will hand over at our launch on Sunday, along with the $500,000 from MP Montague.

“When McKay Security decided to step in and help, Dr McKay also agreed that the company would participate by fielding a team in our Under-17 league,” Pearson pointed out.

“It is welcoming and will add to the whole development process of the parish, which will be an added assistance to the St Mary FA. McKay Security fielding a team will definitely add to the excitement and force the clubs to ensure they are fielding the best against the ‘Town’ ballers.”

McKay, whose firm recently completed signing sponsorship deals worth $9.6 million with the Kingston and St Andrew, and St Thomas football associations, including broadcast agreements, a joint nutritional programme with KFC and added prize money for winners, said he was keen on development of Jamaica’s youth players, hence support not only for the Major League, but also fielding an Under-17 team to boost the junior league’s profile.

“I want Jamaica, as a country, to have the best Under-17 players constantly in competition, making their way into the parish’s senior teams and, eventually, the national programme,” McKay pointed out.

Pearson, who had initially made an impassioned plea through The Gleaner, citing fears of the parish being unable to stage its Major League this season, said other offers have since arisen.

“I want to thank MP Montague, McKay Security, The Gleaner, the clubs and the executive of the St Mary FA,” he stated.

“Since that appeal, not only has McKay Security come onboard, I have got other calls, which I don’t want to say anything about as yet until they come to fruition. I really want to thank The Gleaner for highlighting our plight and our affiliates for believing in us, more than three years, not knowing where the sponsorship dollar was coming from.”

Pledging his gratitude, Pearson said the FA would ensure all sponsors will be proud.

“We will ensure that everybody gets their mileage. The clubs are happy. For the past three seasons they played without a sponsor, no prize money. I want to say thanks for believing in us. Things will only get better from here.”