When the 2005-2006 season kicks off late October, club managers, members and volunteers will be taking control of gate receipts for matches, handling the sale of refreshments themselves or contracting it out as a franchise, and even selling team paraphernalia such as jerseys, shorts and caps.

“We’ve been strategically planning the evolution of the sport as a business for the past four years and we feel that clubs collecting gate revenue is the first phase of realising that goal,” commented Cayman Islands Football Association President Jeffrey Webb at the organisation’s recent annual general meeting. “We basically want clubs to grow, and we believe that if the clubs can generate their own revenue, it will push the local development of the game.”

This move towards Cayman football clubs generating their own income puts administrators in a position to tap into what has long proven the world over to be a high income generating venture.
While some national football associations continue to be in need of development support, others led by European and Latin American jurisdictions have long ago created an industry out of the game – a fact that is perhaps responsible for the successes of their teams at the international level.

Now, CIFA believes that the game here is mature enough for commercial enterprise.
“I think this is a very positive step for football in this country, I am pleased that CIFA is implementing it,” says Mark Scotland, Bodden Town Football Association President. He added, “This venture provides great opportunities for clubs to generate income/revenue to support their activities and build their infrastructure. I would like to see clubs use this as a motivation to build more of a fan base and connect more within their communities”.

“There is a wide scope for revenue generation by clubs, and CIFA will be putting in place the mechanism that allows members to explore all possible opportunities,” Mr Webb said. “We feel strongly that the reciprocating benefit to clubs generating their own income is that they will be very prudent in spending such funds. Second, when they start realising the benefits of earning money; they will be encouraged to come up with innovative ways to increase their revenue, just like any company that wants to increase its profit.”

“We want clubs to take more responsibility and ownership. We have to go in this direction. When members and players know that the larger the crowd at the game, the more funds goes towards their clubs development, they would build a Club fan base and generally participate more in their communities,” the football president said.

He expects more assertive pursuits of sponsorship deals, using creative approaches to make the game a better product and promoting the game through all mediums available to them such as using the media to hype up a team or star players in coming fixtures.

CIFA will be very involved in the administration of the clubs through the process towards full business management, gradually letting go of more responsibility as the clubs mature.

To qualify clubs must be in what CIFA terms ‘good standing.’ This involves hosting of an Annual General Meeting, plus submission of an annual report including financial statements and a budget, list of officers, and confirmation of an official business address on a yearly basis. Clubs must have completed their registration process as non-profit organizations.

While CIFA will retain responsibility for all semi-final and final matches, venue reservation and preparation, home teams will provide staffing for the gates, professional security personnel, match balls and some promotion for their respective matches.

“We have been strategically working towards this goal for the last four years, and want to see the game played at the same time on multiple grounds,” Mr Webb said.

“There are already some clubs that have the ability to independently plan and execute fund raising and other events, but most are still very new to this. As non-profit organizations in constant need of funding it is important that we give our membership exposure to some of these responsibilities,” the football president added.

The Association will schedule home and away games for the clubs at Grand Cayman’s seven match venues, thereby assigning who will manage each match day. Ground rules on ticketing will be laid, and contracts issued.

CIFA sees this new opportunity for clubs as the catalyst for moving the game in Cayman to the next level.

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Caption 1: CIFA President Jeffrey Webb
Caption 2 “Slipped through his fingers”: Players battle for the ball during a Foster’s League final four semi-final match in May 2005.