With three-quarters of the 2009 Jamaica Basketball Association (JBA) National Basketball season completed, telecommunications firm and title sponsors Flow and associate sponsors Sportsmax are expressing deep satisfaction at their involvement and are already looking forward to the 2010 season.

Describing the league as a welcome one for the sport locally, Sharon Roper, director of marketing at Flow, and Tanya Lee, regional marketing director at Sportsmax, said their companies were delighted with the manner in which the league was organised, and the slew of new initiatives that were put in place to develop and promote it.

According to Roper, her company first started its association with the JBA via sponsorship of the national senior team which, with a cadre of overseas-based players, went on to capture the Caribbean championships for the first time in years.

no regrets

She said this positive association, coupled with the need to spread the sport more locally, prompted her company to sponsor the league, and today they have no regrets in doing so.

"Flow is pleased to be associated with the league," was her initial response when asked to give a summary of her company's involvement with the league thus far.

"Our involvement with the JBA and NBL has helped to raise the profile of the game over previous years and for this we are excited. Our aim and our involvement is to bring the game to more people and in more places across Jamaica, and week in week out we are witnessing this," said Roper, whose company is sponsoring the event to the tune of approximately $8 million.

Added Roper: "We are looking at a long-term partnership and think we have made a very good start, and are committed for the long term."

The Flow sponsorship includes money for administration and marketing, and airtime on their Flow 100 television channel, which shows repeat broadcasts of the league's top matches.

Lee, whose company is the official broadcast partner of the league, in association with free-to-air partners CVM TV, and in the main are also responsible for the marketing of same, said her organisation was in awe at the response from spectators throughout, and was looking forward to the national finals and next season.

national focus

"This year is all-island, and I thought the format was right for us to rejoin the league after parting company a few years ago, given its more national focus, and it has truly been an exciting season thus far," said Lee, whose company's sponsorship is valued at approximately $2.5 million.

"Look at Majesty Gardens, who are relative newcomers to top-division basketball, and look at the impact that they have made. Look at the turnout of their crowds at the Southern Conference semi-finals. It's amazing.

"What we have witnessed so far is something to behold and augurs well for basketball locally. We came on board for this year, and we are sure that we will be on for years to come. We are committed for the long term," Lee added.

Lee also explained that the national finals, as per their sponsorship agreement, will be broadcast live to 22 countries across the Caribbean on their network station.