 Yeah, less than 24 hours after nationwide radio broke news that global sportswear manufacturers added us had proposed a 5.7 billion Jamaican dollar investment in the contrast tracking field. President of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association Garth Gale fielded questions about whether the local governing body had any interest in the sponsorship offer. Note The J3S is currently locked in a sponsorship deal with another sportswear manufacturer Puma. The J3S and Puma have been partners since 2002, but the current deal is reportedly set to expire later this year. Gale was flanked by journalists at Thursday's launch of the Jamaica Athletics International Invitational among them, our own Layton Levy, asking the top questions. There's been news broke last night about a proposal from a rival sponsor, the Jamaican sponsors Puma, that's been on the table, details of which we have verified. Has it even been discussed at the J3S level, at the board level of the J3S? It cannot be discussed at the level of the J3S because simply we are in a contract and we have to abide by all the principles that governs that contract. And I know you will all appreciate that, you know, we have to be mindful and careful on how we operate. Okay, that contract to which you refer, is it an expiring contract or has it been a renewed contract? We are in contract as we speak. We are in contract. Worried that that contract expires in November of this year, can you confirm? Well, you seem to know more than I would know. I think I do understand, accept that what I'm telling you is what I am, what I mean, have knowledge of. And so we are not a new spoke of, you know, we are in contract. Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the honourable Olivia Grange was also asked about the matter. We're told that you're aware of the proposal, what's your thought on what it is that is being offered as GrangeMaker? Well, if God can't speak about it, why should I? No, I mean it's, it's, it's out on their, I mean they're restricted, restricted by their, you know, by the purview of being in an administration. But I'm restricted too if he's restricted, I'm restricted. But in terms of GrangeMaker, this is a strong proposal. All I can say is anything that is going to further enhance GrangeMaker and enhance the performance of our athletes and motivate them and inspire them to do better. I'm for it. Yeah, the Minister of Sport in GrangeMaker, the honourable Olivia Bamsi Grange, Lance and Mariah, just want to get your initial reactions and how this one grabs you. Well, for sure they're not willing to speak on it. That's for sure. I can see how Gaskill was basically stumped because he was like repeating himself a couple of times just trying to say, listen, we are in contract, the end. We're in contract, I have nothing else to say. But he was trying to of course go and give an answer that of course didn't give away too much. So I get that from him and then Leighton goes to the Minister. If I was doing that question and though I would not tell her that Godgill didn't want to speak on it, I would just say, hey, you speak on it. You know, because her response to you was, well, if he doesn't want to speak on it, why are you asking me? Well, if he's restricted, then I am restricted. If he can't say anything, then there's nothing for me to say. Right. But I get her final answer and she's right. I mean, with the portfolio that she holds, of course, anybody that's giving me things that can benefit my country and my sporting ministry and our athletes by extension, I am totally welcoming of that. Right. But I feel like something feels up. I get it though, that they can't speak about it because if I was in a contract with them, they would be in problems if they spoke about it. So I get the reason why they can't, but just the reactions and the bodily movements and all of that, what they said makes me feel like they might be on to something. It does appear as if Levy was the star of the launch today though, Mariah and Ricardo. Yeah, it certainly looks that way. Definitely post the discussions about the athletes that will be at the Jamaica Athletics Invitational and down to this matter of what is happening with this proposal that we understand has been put on the table by Adidas to unseat Puma as the current sponsors of Jamaica's track and field. But you know what, Lance and Mariah, first of all, a lot I have to say on this. But first off, I think the fact that we're having this discussion now is testament to where Jamaica is at as a brand in the world of track and field specifically, maybe even in the wider world of sport, because remember Adidas also sponsors the reggae boys at this stage and that is something and the reggae girls. Yes, apologies. Yes, Jamaica's national football teams. And so here they are as well, quite interested in the athletics portion. And I wouldn't be surprised if by extension, the Jamaica Olympic Association, which would give them, well, I don't want to say in charge of, but of course would mean that they would be sponsoring the, well, when you take over the entire Jamaica Olympic body, a number of sports come on as well, beyond just track and field. So it speaks to brand Jamaica and the leverage that this country has and that a number of sporting organizations have when they go to the negotiating table. And I think that is one of the most important things that we need to take away from this is that there are opportunities there for these sporting associations, specifically in this case, the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association to maximize on the potential benefits that the country can get from its stature in the world of track and field. And I think that's the first thing that everything here is telling us. Yeah. And the fact is that as a brand globally, track and field for Jamaica is top of the line. I would suggest bigger, of course, than the reggae boys and the reggae girls, even though because football is a far more popular global sport than track and field, it probably balances out. But if it is that Adidas are interested to the extent that they have sponsored the national football teams, both men and women, it stands to reason that they would be interested in the track and field product as well. Because globally, Jamaica's track and field product is like nowhere else, really. I want to say that I've had the opportunity to look at some of the leaked documents in terms of what Adidas wants to propose to the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association. And I've taken the liberty of getting our producers to put into graphics some of the things that they're offering because I think it's important for the public to get an understanding of what some of those things are. So for example, product supply for presidential programs, presidential travel and expenses budget, general product supply, footwear supply for development programs. There's a 10% royalty bonus on all things sold Jamaican by Adidas, which I think is extremely important as well. Bonuses for individual and relay medals at global events. And this also includes world under 20 events, not just senior global events, but junior global events as well. And there's a different payout for gold medal one gold medals one versus silver medals one and bronze medals one. There is a facility creation budget. And this is the one I know a lot of individuals have been quite beat about because this is a country lacking in the type of infrastructural support that you would think a country that has produced so many great athletes would have. And so I know that one has jumped out a lot. We've heard some figures in other media, Lance and Mariah. 4.85 million U.S. is what I have per year that they're willing to spend, which when I did the calculations, we were looking at over 700 million Jamaican and it's over eight years that they are proposing the contract to be. So we're looking at around 38.8 million U.S. dollars, which is about 6 billion Jamaican dollars. It has been reported as 5.7. So around that ballpark figure, but I calculated it at 6 billion. So it is clear that added us is willing to make a substantial investment in Jamaica's track and field. Here's my thing, Lance and Mariah, the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association does not have to accept this offer. What I think the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association should do, though, is put themselves in the position to be able to accept the best offer. So if the best offer is this added us offer, then fine. If the best offer turns out to be the Puma offer, then fine. If you open up the bidding process and the best offer becomes a Nike offer or a Reebok offer or an Under Armour offer, whatever else is out there or if Ricardo Chambers comes up with a brand and you accept the Ricardo Chambers offer, if that's the best offer, then I think that's in the best interest of the country and the country's sports development. And I think that's where the minister was going. Well, it's clearly where she was going when she said, anything that benefits Jamaica and or sports development and infrastructure, then I am for that. And so I think that's a very important point for us to understand. Go ahead. Now, I was just saying, it's such an honour that Jamaica has put themselves in that place where a company can put out and invest so much money, not only in one sport, but be willing to invest in different sports. And I think, as you said, Lance, at the top, track and feel. If I was putting my money and it involved Jamaica would definitely be track and feel because you are guaranteed to get medals. You're guaranteed to get seals with shoes and merch and everything is considered because Jamaica has dominated in that field for quite some time. Yeah. And the fact is, given the pitch that we've just looked at, it stands to reason that the current contract that they have with Puma doesn't match what Adidas is offering here. But the point is made that if the contract cycle expires this year and Puma is revisiting and wants to retain the sponsorship, then they would have to challenge what Adidas is putting out there. And that's a lot. Can I respond to that this way, Lance? Yes. Because I think you bring up an amazing point. 18 months ago, the CEO of Puma, Bjorn Golden, I hope I pronounced that correctly, left, guess where he went? Adidas. He's now the CEO of Adidas. Yes. I think I could draw from that that he has a very good idea. Yes. As to what is in the Puma contract with the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association. And therefore, if Adidas is making an offer, it must be better than at least the current offer of Puma. Which is the point I was making because if they are pitching this as an offer, it stands to reason that they know what Puma's current contract level is at. And they want to top that. But it appears really really heavy to me. And we don't have the Puma details. But I would guess that this is significantly beyond what the current Puma levels are at. Well, for sure, because the facility to me, as you said, it jumps out. I haven't seen any work being done right now. Well, the Montego Bay stadium has been off for years, pre-COVID. Yeah, yeah. And no track and field has been held there for a while. And even when football is held there, the pitch, the surface is not really up to scratch. We've lamented the poor nature of the surface in recent years. I also want to make a couple of points because I understand that Adidas, this is not the first time that Adidas is putting an offer on the table. And that they had put an offer on the table back in 2013, which clearly now we know that did not go through. And there is a suggestion that having not taken that deal and gone with the Puma deal, that the J3s lost millions of dollars. Now, only the J3s can come forward and say whether that is true or not, or whether the Puma deal that they accepted in that period served the country well and better than the Adidas deal that was rejected or not looked at. I don't know how you define these things because there are ways to define some of these things because if I didn't look at a deal, then does that necessarily mean I rejected it as opposed to if I looked at it and said I'm not interested? So there is all of that. The other thing to think about as well, Lance and Mariah, from what I understand in how a lot of these deals work when it comes on to and you'll see it with football clubs and you'll see it with national federations as well, when a contract is coming up for renewal, there is a timeframe in which they are not allowed to have negotiations with other bodies. So from what I've been told, the normal period would be around four to six months. So within four to six months of the current deal expiring, so I have a deal with you, Lance, and within four to six months of that outside of that four to six month period of it expiring, I'm not allowed to go and negotiate with Mariah Ramirez. And so as it is now, we're not in that four to six month period. Maybe it is that when Garth Gale spoke today and he kept saying we are on the contract, he was trying to make that point that we're on the contract with Puma and therefore we're not allowed to be having those types of negotiations with Adidas or any other company for that matter. So that stood out for me. What Garth did not say though, he did not speak specifically to when the Puma contract ends. Of course, if he did, that would give us a clearer indication as to what might happen. Let me tell you what I would try to do though if I were Puma. If I were Puma, I would be talking to the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association and I would be trying to get them to extend the current deal before we get to that four to six month period where other entities can step in and start negotiating and putting bids on the table. I don't know about you guys, but in business that's what I would do if I were in the position of Puma. And so I suspect the well thinking persons at Puma may well be thinking in that same vein at the moment. And if it hasn't happened already because Garth Gale wouldn't say, then I'm pretty sure that is what is being pressed for at the moment. But if I was the G3A and I already had, well, I mean, this news is headline news, I would not extend because then I have another cool offer on the end. And maybe several other offers if the process is opened up to say manufacturing companies sending their bids, let's see what happens. And before we wrap the segment, I just want to put the lid on this discussion by suggesting that this story emphasizes the importance and the benefit that can accrue from sporting success. Because we have long in the Caribbean lamented the fact that enough investment in sport isn't done. We had Vida Bruno Victor from Grenada from the Olympic Association live on the zone one day last week. And I referenced some comments you had made at the K&O General Assembly in Barbados back in October of last year about how governments in Karecom are not investing in sport at the level that they should. It's not just their responsibility. Of course, the private sector in these countries also have a responsibility. But this story that we've been discussing for the last 13 or 14 minutes tells us that there is benefit to investing in sport. And there is a lot of financial profit that can accrue from having a good sporting landscape that on top of the other social benefits of sport as well. So I just think that this is another illustration of the importance of sport and the fact that as a region here in the Caribbean, we need to do more for sporting platforms and ensure that we maximize our potential. Yeah, well said Lance. Couldn't have said it any better. But I tell you what, so much intrigue on this one. And yeah, I'm pretty sure we're going to be chatting more about this in the months to come. Let's take a break. We're back with more on the Sportsmax Zone.