While reflecting on the transformative two years since his appointment in November 2022, Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) General Secretary, Dennis Chung, expressed cautious optimism about the federation’s financial future.
Coming off what he described as a "fairly successful 2024,” Chung sees 2025 as a year for the country’s governing football body to build on hard-won gains while also addressing lingering challenges.
“When I joined the JFF, I emphasized the importance of transparency, whether the news is good or bad. We’ve stuck to that commitment, and I believe it’s been critical to fostering trust and collaboration as we work to develop Jamaican football,” Chung told journalists and stakeholders during a virtual press conference on Friday.
According to Chung, the financial strides made in 2024 are significant, as at November, the JFF reported a surplus of $105.3 million compared to an $11.4 million deficit in the same period last year. This, he said, substantially reduced the federation’s negative equity, which now stands at $82.6 million—down from $242.5 million in 2023.
“For accountants like me, these numbers tell an important story,” Chung explained.
“We’ve improved our current ratio from 0.4 to 0.58, increased cash resources, and significantly reduced payables. This progress means we’ve been able to clear nearly all outstanding payments to players and maintain a current tax compliance certificate, something many organizations struggle to achieve,” he added.
Chung credited much of this progress to a stronger governance framework.
“We’ve implemented policies like the travel policy in collaboration with FIFA, and we’re finalizing the selection of a travel advisor to streamline operations further. These steps have bolstered compliance and helped secure a successful audit from FIFA,” he stated.
Going forward, Chung pointed out that the focus will shift to revenue generation, as he revealed that one major initiative is the launch of JFF Live, a YouTube-based streaming platform set to debut on January 10.
The channel, which was given a test run during the Reggae Girlz’ two-match friendly series against South Africa, will broadcast games and invite subscribers for a fee, offering a modern solution to Jamaica’s inadequate stadium infrastructure.
“In the last games we streamed, we had over 60,000 views per match. We’ve already qualified to monetize the channel, and this is just the beginning of how we’ll use technology to enhance revenue while bringing Jamaican football to a global audience,” Chung noted.
Though lauding the partnership with Adidas as another bright spot, with revenues performing in line with the contract, Chung explained that there are challenges with the distribution of official merchandise in Jamaica.
“Our contract restricts us from selling Adidas kits directly, but we’ve been working with Adidas to address this. There’s also a proliferation of counterfeit merchandise, which is a concern. In the meantime, we’re exploring a JFF-branded store to sell official merchandise for both the federation and local clubs,” Chung shared.
That said, he also highlighted the growing support from diaspora groups.
“The JFF’s improved image has encouraged more engagement from overseas supporters. In the last two months alone, three diaspora-based football clubs have reached out to offer assistance. This shows the power of a positive brand,” Chung stated.
On another note, Chung took a moment to celebrate key contributors to Jamaican football, as he pointed to the upcoming retirements of stalwarts like Wendell Downswell, Earl Bailey, and Beverly Melbourne, as well as plans to strengthen the organization with new hires, including a marketing manager to drive revenue growth.
“Behind every game and event is a lot of unseen effort. Our job is to ensure the JFF has the resources to support our players and elevate Jamaican football to its rightful place on the global stage,” Chung ended, as he expressed gratitude to the JFF staff and external supporters.