The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WHEN the Bahamas Football Association hosts the 10 visiting countries in the first FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2013 CONCACAF qualifier to be staged in the Caribbean next month at the new beach soccer facility at the foot of the Sir Sydney Poitier Bridge, BTC will be the major sponsor.

“This is just our continuation of our sponsorship of sporting events,” said Jerome Sawyer of the marketing department of BTC. “We just recently sponsored the CARIFTA Games and the Chris Brown Invitational, so this is just our overall continued sponsorship of sports.

“We look at this as a way to expand in an area of sports that may not have gotten the kind of exposure as track and field and swimming. With this sponsorship, we get to look at the overall development of sports and we will be giving the same kind of consideration that we’ve given to the other sporting events that we have sponsored.”

The qualifying tournament, featuring teams from Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago and the United States of America, is scheduled for May 8-14.

The teams have been divided into three groups and will play a round robin format with the eventual winner and runner-up qualifying to compete in the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup at the To’ata Stadium in Papeete, Tahiti, September 18-28.

Sawyer said through their sponsorship, they will be providing the cellular and internet services for both the media and the spectators in the stands. He encouraged the Bahamian public to come out and show their support for Team Bahamas as they did in the recent events held at the new stadium.

Scotiabank is also on board as one of the sponsors and Leah Davis said it’s just their way of showing their continued support for the growth and development of sports in the country. She noted that they are delighted to be able to participate in the event as they have done in so many other activities within the community.

Cable Bahamas has also come on board as a sponsor and Alexis Coakley, the station manager for Cable 12, noted that they developed a relationship with the BFA from last year, covering the initial match between the Bahamas and Jamaica when the new beach soccer complex was officially christened.

Coakley said they intend to provide their usual local live coverage of the games on Cable 12.

And Vanessa Mott, representing BahamasLocal.com, said they have been a long-time partner of the BFA and this is their way to expand as the sport continues to spread its wings through the promotion of beach soccer. BahamasLocal.com will provide on-line marketing exposure as they outline to the public what the sport is all about.

The representatives all indicated that they are looking forward to their participation in what is expected to be another historic moment for the Bahamas, having been selected as the first country in the Caribbean to host the CONCACAF qualifying tournament for the World Cup.