It takes cash to care or money makes the mare run. Whichever catchy maxim you choose, one thing is beyond doubt – it takes millions of dollars to execute an event of the scale of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs).
From the rental of the main Stadium, where competition takes place, the Stadium East facility, where team camps are set up and warm-ups take place, to security, to lighting and fixtures, to multimedia equipment, from the proverbial pin to an anchor, your bank account must be hefty.
Champs represents the largest revenue earner for the governing body for high school sports, the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), a body comprised of school principals, and so the Champs product relies heavily on not only government support, but also on critical private-sector support.
GraceKennedy, Champs title sponsor for 19 years, has invested $202 million in the 2026 staging of the iconic meet, in what the company says reaffirms its long-standing commitment to Jamaican youth and athletics.
The sponsorship includes $108 million in sponsorship and an additional $94 million in execution through their Grace Foods, Western Union and First Global Bank brands.
“We make this investment because we believe deeply in the power of sport to change lives, open doors, and uplift communities. It represents our long-standing commitment to investing in the future of Jamaica and, more importantly, in the next generation of athletes, whose discipline, sacrifice, and ambition inspire all of us. Champs is GraceKennedy’s largest sponsorship anywhere in the world and we remain committed to its staging,” explained Frank James, GK Group chief executive officer.
And the company, which has been operating in Jamaica for over a century, has signalled the relationship with Champs will continue:
“GraceKennedy remains steadfast in upholding its core values of honesty, integrity, trust, commitment, respect, and humility, which continue to guide its sponsorship of Champs. For the second year, the Don Wehby Sportsmanship Award will recognise one of our student athletes, who embodies the principles of fairness, humility and respect, values that reflect the true spirit of Champs.”
The 250,000 award was established in honour of GraceKennedy’s late Group CEO, Don Wehby.
PARTNERING FOR 14 YEARS
Another major sponsor Main Event, “the largest digital signage network in the Caribbean”, according to their website, has been partnering with ISSA for the past 14 years.
“These championships hold a very special place in the Main Event sponsorship portfolio because they represent something that as a company we deeply believe in, investing in our youth and supporting the future of sports in Jamaica,” Kimberly Smalling, senior account executive, told The Gleaner.
Smalling further explained how the partnership with ISSA is manifested:
“Our sponsorship comes mainly through production and logistical support. We ensure that the championships have international standards, crystal clear audio reinforced PA system throughout the entire Stadium and Stadium East, giant spectator viewing screens, track perimeter branding screens, tents, lighting, décor, inclusive of tables, chairs for the athletes village, media, sponsors, generators and overall logistical planning in lockstep with ISSA. Our goal is simple – to ensure that every athlete, every spectator, and every viewer experience Champs at its very best,” said Smalling.
ISSA Vice-President Colleen Montague told The Gleaner the relationship with their sponsors is one which has withstood the test of time, and events including the COVID-19 pandemic and last year’s category five Hurricane Melissa.
“Immediately after the Hurricane, the question was: “How are you doing, what can we do to help?” So the engagement started and so we continued and from the smaller associate sponsors to major sponsor GraceKennedy, they have just been supportive in every single way that you could possibly think of, both physically, the cash to care and the kind, they have been supportive.”
The Champs product is an iconic brand, entrenched in Jamaica’s culture not just by school ties but loyalty that runs deep and Montague, who is also principal of Wolmers’ Trust High School for Girls, believes that is part of the allure for her sponsors:
“I think it is the connection that people have with their high school, their children in high school, it brings back all the glorious memories, the rivalry, the real rivalry that is there in the championship and also being able to connect with friends. People that you have not seen and the schools that are just beginning to, with smaller teams who are beginning to find their way, find their feet in terms of their finding athletes who are able to actually compete and be successful. So recognition, recognition and the connection that’s there in every single thing that they are doing and the reward of success or even we know of many students who just made semifinal or even preliminary but just the fact that they have made Champs.”
The list of sponsors also includes Gatorade, Puma, TVJ, Pure National Ice as well as Courtleigh and The Jamaica Pegasus hotel.
