Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

Berger Paints Limited has increased its sponsorship of this year's staging of the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) Super League competition from $2.8 million to $3.5 million.

Trevor Lloyd, marketing manager of Berger Paints, said his company is committed to the development of the sport and encouraged the players to demonstrate respect for their colleagues and opponents.

"What you take from the courts will serve you beyond the courts," said Lloyd. "We believe the game should be played in a spirit that subscribes to an even higher level of moral and ethical code than those laid down by the laws that govern the sport," he said.

He added that as title sponsors of the Jamaica's premier netball competition, his company had a vested interest in ensuring that the reputation of the Berger Super League was preserved.

"To this end, we implore the players, coaches, managers, umpires, and all other stakeholders to embrace the values of discipline and fair-play, which are the pillars on which the sport of netball is built."

JNA president, Marva Bernard, in thanking Berger Paints for its 26 years of sponsoring the Super League, said Berger had provided an avenue of continuity and stability by returning as sponsors of the Super League.

"They will be injecting more than $3 million in cash and kind into this year's competition. The cash component has remained the same, but the value in kind has increased," said Bernard.

Has to diversify

The JNA boss added: "The partnership also includes the University of Technology, which will provide some of the necessary resources to make this happen. Sports is a business, and the association, in recognising this, has to diversify its product mix to make it a viable option to attract investors who have a wide range of goods and services being offered to them and must find us - netball - more attractive and come with their dollars."

Six teams are down to take part in this year's tournament with Jamalco the defending champions. The other teams are Tivoli Gardens 'A', Waulgrovians, Cable Pro, UWI Pelicans, Mico 'A', Global and G.C. Foster 'A'.

This year's matches will be played on a home-and-away basis, and at the end of the schedule, the top two teams will advance to a best-of-three finals for the title.

The league is set to begin on Saturday, March 23, at the Leila Robinson courts.