THE 2019 edition of the Terminix Super League will kick off this weekend with Match Day One action.
Reigning champs FC Santa Rosa will square off against RSSR FC in the opening match on Saturday, from 4 pm, at the Arima Velodrome, and Metal X Erin FC will host Club Sando Uprising Youths at the Erin Recreation Ground from 6.30 pm.
Two games will take place from 7 pm – UTT entertaining Petit Valley/Diego Martin United at the UTT O’Meara campus, Arima and Matura ReUnited against Queen’s Park at the Matura Recreation Ground.
On Sunday, San Fernando Giants will tackle Police, at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium Training Field, from 3.30 pm, while Prisons Service will host Bethel United, at the YTC Ground, Arouca from 4 pm. Guaya United will be on a bye.
The 2019 season, which will run until December 15, was launched yesterday, at the Phase Two La Horquetta Recreation Ground, Arima, with Super League president Keith Look Loy and Terminix director Richard Ferguson addressing the media.
“It’s going to be a one-round season because of events that has occasioned this,” said Look Loy, referencing to the failed T League venture, which would have been a combination of Pro League and Super League teams.
“We went searching for sponsorship,” he continued. “We received a positive response from Ferguson who has filled a huge void in our club football in 2019. He stepped in to sponsor the Ascension football tournament and he immediately agreed to become the title sponsor of the 2019 Super League.
“We have sponsorship from Raymond Tim Kee and Investments, and we have one other sponsor, who shall remain nameless, who have come on board,” Look Loy said. “This is the first time that the Super League will be offering monies (in three years).”
Ferguson said, “This is our first year of sponsoring the football league and it will definitely not be the last. We’re hoping to increase our sponsorship, get more involved in television (and) more exposure for players, to get a higher calibre of TT players.”
With regards to prize monies for the 13 participating teams, Look Loy said, “We have a match bonus of $1,000 if your club win a match, if the match is drawn the two clubs get $500. We are giving a $2,000 prize to the MVP (Most Valuable Player), the best goalkeeper and the golden boot.
“We have a commitment for $100,000 in prize monies,” he added. “Everybody plays and if any finances are generated, then it should be paid equitably. The last team should get $1,100 and the first place team should get $14,000.”
Look Loy listed a few clubs who chose not to participate in the Super League this season – 1976 Phoenix FC, Harlem Strikers, Marabella Family Crisis Centre and Cunupia FC.
“They sat in the meeting where we discussed details of the league to launch itself on Saturday as well as the incentives that are on offer,” said Look Loy. “They were given a deadline and chose not to participate.”
He continued, “There are those that cannot participate because of TTFA membership non-compliance.”
Local cable network TTEN, in conjunction with Island Sports Network and TV6, will be showing matches live and/or delayed.
Source : Newsday