PFJL likes trajectory of ‘Diaspora Fanatics’
Published:Sunday | March 23, 2025 | 9:58 PM
PROFESSIONAL Jamaica Football Limited (PFJL) has inked another impressive deal, this time with the RJRGLEANER Communications Group, to provide a subscription channel, ‘Diaspora Fanatics’, on the latter’s One Spot Media platform for not just Jamaica Premier League (JPL), but other local sports as well.
Chairman of PFJL, Chris Williams, says One Spot Media has the most downloaded app in the Jamaican Diaspora and that teaming up with other sporting associations to provide other local sporting content can only expand the reach of the various sports outside Jamaica and help them grow.
Invitations have already been extended to sporting entities such as the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), and Netball Jamaica (NJ).
“At this time, we are talking specifically about the Jamaica Premier League games plus analysis and commentary. The long-term goal is to dovetail and bring in all sporting activities, including track, netball, football.
“We haven’t invited track as yet, but we are going to invite track because the goal is to have a subscription channel available to the diaspora that can give them everything in one place.
“The goal is to feed all our amazing, attractive, demanded content in one place. Right now it is the Jamaica Premier League we are stepping out with and leading the way, and we hope that the rest will come on board. They are looking at it, and it is an amazing opportunity,” he said.
FREE SUBSCRIPTION
For the month of March, subscribers will be able to access the channel for free, but come April, they will be required to pay a fee of US$8.99 per month. However, the channel will not be available to those in the region, where SportMax is the rights holder.
According to Williams, having the JPL on One Spot at this time is significant, given the stage of the league.
The JPL is in the final round, with the next port of call being the playoffs, featuring the top-six teams in an elimination-style format.
Williams explained that fans outside of the Caribbean will get six games per week, and in May, they will also get the JPL playoffs.
“If we do not have any additional content we will not charge for June and July. We will restart in September when the league restarts in terms of charging for the content,” he disclosed.
The channel officially started airing on March 9 with the Jamaica Premier League, and so far, Williams said the subscriptions have been pouring in.
“Most in the diaspora already have the app, so all they have to do is click on Diaspora Fanatics and then different live events will come on. We are projecting 5,000 subscribers by April, and we are on track.
“The sign-ups have been coming in fast and furious. The app’s downloads are in excess of 2.5 million, so the market size is massive.”
“It is a massive game-changer, and we want to thank the RJR/GLEANER Group for stepping up and partnering with us on this initiative. We have been working on it for about nine months, and it is huge.”
According to Williams, uniting all the sporting associations on the platform will ensure that there is always content for everybody and will eventually lead to financial gains as well.
There will also be other attractions for subscribers.
“It is not just the games. We are using it as a platform to engage with the diaspora. So all our sponsors are having giveaways. You will get live giveaways as the sponsors will be doing different activities so our subscribers can win packages. It is an opportunity for us to touch the diaspora directly as well,” he said.