In another unprecedented move to ensure sports enthusiasts near and far can enjoy the best coverage of the Paris Olympic Games, International Media Content Ltd (IMC), owner and broadcaster of the SportsMax channels across the Caribbean, have agreed to a broadcast arrangement with Nationwide News Network. The arrangement means Nationwide, which operates on the 90Fm band, will be the exclusive Jamaican radio broadcasters of this summer's Games.

IMC through its partnership with the International Olympics Committee (IOC), is the exclusive broadcast rights partner for the Summer Olympics, Paris 2024 for the Caribbean region. Media giant, SportsMax, in its charge to highlight Caribbean talents and provide Caribbean people with the platforms to watch, listen and celebrate the highs and lows of sports, has entered this partnership with Nationwide, which has a wide range of viewers and listeners, and has been making strides as a diversified multi-media and broadcast technology group.

This move by IMC, through SportsMax, follows a recent signing with Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) as the exclusive local free- to-air (FTA) broadcaster of the Paris Games in Trinidad and Tobago, broadcasting thrilling localized Olympic coverage with some of the best sporting analysis from Trinidad and Tobago and across the Caribbean.

Nicolas Matthews, CEO, SportsMax Limited expressed excitement about the groundbreaking partnership with Nationwide.

"This is an unprecedented event because this is probably the first time a single radio station will be carrying the Olympics here in Jamaica. It's a phenomenal partnership, and Nationwide is known for excellence, and we are expecting that they will continue that tradition of excellence with the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“We're really excited about the partnership, and we're looking forward to ensuring everyone, everywhere, gets access to the Olympic content from Paris and you'll be able to enjoy it on the Nationwide platform. They are a single and only radio station in Jamaica that will be carrying this event," Matthews said during the signing event at Tracks and Records.

The Paris Olympic Games will run from July 26 to August 11.

Nationwide's CEO Cliff Hughes promised that the delivery will be of the highest quality, courtesy of his organisation and the undisputed Home of Champions, SportsMax.

"For those who are still considering, come on board. To the team at Nationwide, the team of athletes, Jamaica Olympic Association, we're going to make Jamaica proud. It's a moment that we can rise again to the occasion, as [Arthur] Wint, [George] Rhoden, and [Leslie] Laing did in 1948 and 1952. We have the Megan Tappers…. it’s their time and who knows who else will emerge in Paris in 2024,” Hughes noted.

After a 16-year halt, the Wray and Nephew Group, through its White Overproof Rum brand has embarked on another major marketing investment in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), with a multi-year deal as the league’s new title sponsor.

The three-year partnership valued at well over $60 million fills a pricey opening left by Digicel, who recently completed a three-year deal of their own worth $200 million.

Wray and Nephew last sponsored the league in 2002, and in 2006 it extended the contract until 2012. However, the deal ended abruptly in 2007 after Wray and Nephew released the Jamaica Football Federation from its contract without penalty.

At the time, Wray and Nephew officials stated that they stood ready to continue supporting football should any opportunity arise in the future and with Digicel, who took over the title sponsorship from Red Stripe in 2020, now backing out, the premium rum company is now back to bridge the gap.

However, unlike previous deals, Wray and Nephew’s Managing Director Jean-Philippe Beyer, explained that this partnership with the league organizers Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL), will go much deeper.

Beyer, though reluctant to go in details, announced during Tuesday’s launch that his company is also intent on investing in the country’s sporting infrastructure development.

“We understand that supporting this league goes beyond supporting footballers, but we also have an impact on the coaches, management, spectators and the vendors, among others. So, a big thank you to everyone who has made this such an important platform to Jamaican society,” Beyer said during the event held at their Dominica Drive base.

“More importantly, this partnership is part of a wider initiative in national football progress. We are working with the Professional Football Jamaica Limited to build a long-term viable football initiative and so we are planning to commit a significant amount of money to develop sporting infrastructure,” he added.

Beyer pointed out that Wray and Nephew’s sponsorship across Jamaica’s sporting landscape has been significant. This, as besides football, they have invested in boxing, cricket, bobsleigh and even the Sunshine Girls recent World Cup campaign.

“J Wray and Nephew is a true stakeholder in Jamaica, making our country a decent place to live, work, raise a family and to do business. This is not just talk because in a little less than 10 years, our contribution to sport sponsorship has easily surpassed $1 billion, so we are putting our money where our mouth is,” he declared.

“This investment represents our commitment to celebrating Jamaica’s talent and we look forward to the success of the Jamaica Premier League and working with you to meet the challenges. We believe that partnerships are more important because we achieve more together,” Beyer noted.

PFJL’s CEO Owen Hill, said it was easy to get Wray and Nephew back on board, as both party's objectives are aligned, particularly where community involvement is concerned.

 “We want to give options and opportunities to the players, the clubs and coaches and others of the football landscape. So, having Wray and Nephew on board just shows how important it is, and along with other partners, it helps to build out that platform,” he told SportsMax.TV.

“What we did was show them the value added and how it can impact more lives and become deeper than it really is now. So, the alignment between brands is very clear and they want community involvement, so it was an easy sell because it helps to advance their own cause,” Hill shared.

As it has been over the years, all the action for the next eight months, will be on SportsMax and the SportsMax app.

CEO Nicholas Matthews, promised that the coverage will, as always, represent the class and quality of the Home of Champions.

“We have been working a lot with the JPL and this season we are going to lift that game. The league wants to go back into the communities, and we have looked at the plan and we will be going back into some of the communities to produce games. So, you are going to see a lot more involvement where the communities are concerned, but we are ensuring the quality of the product remains the same,” said Matthews.

The 2023/24 edition of the Jamaica Premier League is scheduled for kick off on October 22, with Lime Hall, out of St Ann and St Elizabeth’s Treasure Beach, being the new additions. 

Another St Ann-situated club, Mount Pleasant Academy, are defending champions.

In a groundbreaking move, Sportsmax Limited, the leading sports broadcasting channel in the Caribbean, has launched a state-of-the-art studio and production facility at its parent company Digicel Headquarters, located at 14 Ocean Boulevard in downtown Kingston. This multi-million-dollar investment marks a significant milestone in the evolution of sports broadcasting in the region.

For the past 13 years, Sportsmax had been broadcasting from its previous location at 22 Chalmers Avenue in Kingston, where it further established itself as the premier sports channel in the Caribbean, reaching millions of viewers across 26 countries.

At the launch event, Digicel Group CEO Oliver Coughlan emphasized the substantial investment made to upgrade the facilities to accommodate this move to downtown Kingston. He underlined the broader strategy behind Digicel's involvement in the sports media landscape, saying, "Over 10 years ago, Digicel made a strategic decision to get involved, purchase, and become a partner of Sports Max. We did it because our core competency is mobile, but we wanted to be a total entertainment provider."

Coughlan continued, "We want to have the best content across the Caribbean, and I think it's only fitting that this studio is in Jamaica because as an Irish person when I came here first, you know, we all know your track and field gods and goddesses. We watch them from across the world. When we come here and we see the religion that track and field is, it's just amazing to watch."

Regarding the upgraded studio's capabilities and offerings, Coughlan elaborated, "We see this as just another stepping stone in that amazing development of Sports Max within the digital family. This is state-of-the-art. It was an investment that I must thank Gyorgy for. When I came here about three years ago now, Gyorgy came up with a business plan and to invest a large sum of money, and that very first meeting we had has now resulted in this state-of-the-art complex."

Gyorgy Zsembery, Group Chief Executive Officer, Home and Entertainment at Digicel, shared insights into the goals and plans for the new facility, stating, "So my thoughts are very simple, you know. Sports Max started as a sports channel, but this is a media company with a lot of capabilities how to produce anything as it is now. It's not just sports channels what we produce, and also we do live productions, events, productions all the way to advertising."

Zsembery further emphasized the regional impact of this investment, saying, "We want to develop this business that others also use it, but at the same time we know that for our products, we have the best technical infrastructure. And you know it can be used for apps, it can be used for anything which is related to media or entertainment. So definitely not just moving something existing into this, but how to develop further for any companies in the region."

Regarding the new broadcast studio, Zsembery emphasized that it is comparable to the very best in the world.

“This is real like ESPN, Sky, CNN, the same level because I think when you do something you always have to do the best, which is in this moment the latest (technology). So we decided that we're investing into the best.”

Nicolas Matthews, CEO of Sportsmax Limited, highlighted the channel's rich history and its commitment to delivering exceptional content, saying, "We have been broadcasting and producing several sporting content for over 21 years. "

Matthews also shared exciting news about future programming, stating, "In addition to this extensive list of content, we will also provide the most anticipated event on the sporting calendar. Do you know what this is? All right, but this is the 2024 Paris Olympics next year. And guess what? We will be there and we'll be showing you Shericka Jackson breaking the 200-meter world record and we'll also be putting the cap on Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's retirement from track and field because she'll be performing at the Olympics in 2024."

In emphasizing the studio's capabilities and future potential, Matthews stated, "We haven't simply rebranded or relocated. We have reimagined the metaphorical ladder into an escalator which has now enabled us to not only meet our viewers' needs but has driven us to become the go-to business enterprise in media. We are now more equipped to efficiently handle all facets of production both in studio and outside broadcasts and you can look forward to this new state-of-the-art facility that our team has been expertly trained to operate and ensuring that we give you the best meter solutions available in the Caribbean. And I tell you when you see this, there's nothing else like this in the Caribbean."

Matthews and Zsembery cut the ribbon to unveil the new studio, which drew immediate praise from the awestruck guests that included Tessanne Chin, the winner of the 2013 edition of the Voice, who performed for the historic occasion.

With its new state-of-the-art facility, Sportsmax Limited is poised to continue its legacy of delivering top-quality sports content to the Caribbean and beyond, cementing its position as a premier sports broadcasting channel in the region.

The 2023 Jamaica Basketball Showcase (JBS) is set to be bigger and better than the inaugural event in 2022.  The event will be broadcast live on several SportsMax platforms and will be reaching a global audience, creating a great opportunity to showcase the best basketball talent in Jamaica and helping to revitalize the sport in the country.

That was the overarching theme expressed at the launch of the 2023 JBS that place on Tuesday, July 19, at Express Fitness at the Constant Spring Golf Club in Kingston. The event was attended by representatives from SportsMax, the Jamaica Basketball Association, and Express Fitness as well as players from the participating teams.

The 2023 JBS is scheduled to take place from July 27-29, 2023, at the Donald Sangster Auditorium at the University of Technology and is expected to be a major showcase for basketball talent in Jamaica. Six Under-20 teams including defending champions PHASE 1 Academy, Purple Power, Hoop Factory Blues, Camperdown Giants, Blue Mahoe Basketball and Caribbean Basketball Academy, will compete for JMD$300,000 in prize money. PHASE 1 will take on Purple Power in the opening match.

Paul Campbell, CEO of Sports Innovators Group (SIG), the event's organizer, said that the 2023 JBS promises to be "bigger and better" than the inaugural event in 2022." He added that the event is expected to "reignite some interest in basketball" in Jamaica.

Campbell cited the addition of SportsMax as a broadcast partner as a major reason for the event's growth. He said that SportsMax's reach will help to expose the JBS to a wider audience, both in Jamaica and around the world.

Meanwhile, Nicholas Matthews, CEO of SportsMax, said that the network is "excited" to be broadcasting the 2023 JBS." Matthews expressed the view that SportsMax is committed to "developing local and regional sports," and that the JBS is a "great opportunity" to do just that.

According to the broadcaster’s CEO, SportsMax, who have entered into a five-year agreement with SIG will be providing premium coverage of the JBS, including live broadcasts on the SportsMax channels and streaming on the Sportsmax app, on CEEN TV as well as the Sports Innovators Group website.

Paulton Gordon, President of the Jamaica Basketball Association, believes JBS is "a huge success" and that the association is "looking forward to an ongoing partnership" with Sports Innovators Group."

He said that the JBS has helped to "revitalize basketball in Jamaica," and that the association is "committed to working with Sports Innovators Group to make the JBS even bigger and better in the years to come."

Nicholas Lynch, CEO of Express Fitness, said that the company is "very much invested into developing sport through youth" and explained that the JBS is "an excellent opportunity" for Express Fitness to "continue that support."

Lynch also said that Express Fitness will be providing a number of resources to the JBS, including fitness training for the players and support for the event's marketing and promotion.

As the CARIFTA Games return for the first time since 2019, SportsMax, the Caribbean’s premier sports and entertainment broadcaster, will broadcast the games live on its channels and Mobile App.

Cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the CARIFTA Games first held in 1973, returns to the Caribbean sports landscape with the promise from the broadcaster that it will be bigger and better than ever. Jamaica will host the Games scheduled for April 16-18 at the National Stadium in Kingston and SportsMax Limited, the holder of the broadcast rights, plans to take the broadcast to a whole new level.

SportsMax will produce the CARIFTA Games and broadcast on linear TV via its many cable partners across the region and on CEEN TV outside the Caribbean and on its SportsMax and SportsMax+ channels within the SportsMax App in addition to partnering with several free-to-air entities across the region, ensuring that fans get to see their favourite athletes engage in pulsating track and field action over the Easter Weekend.

When the CARIFTA Games get underway, SportsMax, through its partnership with the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) and the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC), will ensure that the action on the track and on the field will be seen live on CNC3 in Trinidad, CBC in Barbados, CVM TV in Jamaica and Winners TV in St Lucia.

SportsMax CEO, Nicolas Matthews has also assured that viewers are in for a unique experience.

 “SportsMax will bring its world-class expertise and team to deliver the highest level of production, bringing quality to viewers across the world like never seen before for CARIFTA. Our team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals will ensure viewers get the best seat in the house. As the Caribbean’s leading broadcaster, we will showcase athletes on screen from across the region as they compete to see who is the Caribbean’s best.”

Matthews said the broadcast will be of the highest standard that will include elements that are sure to enhance the viewing experience.

“As the Home of Champions, we plan to give our audience the best viewing experience as never seen before for CARIFTA. We have prepared features highlighting athletes from the many competing countries. You can expect to view over 20 hours of live coverage with daily highlight packages. Our world-class production comes with our first-class commentary team including world-renowned Lance Whittaker, Ricardo Chambers and other expert analysts from around the region.”

“There will be interviews with past CARIFTA athletes, now greats, and other special guests.”

In addition to the live broadcast on SportsMax and the SportsMax app, viewers can find clips of the action on the SportsMax YouTube channel.

“We look forward to a great competition and SportsMax will ensure a true track and field broadcast, where CARIFTA gets the quality attention it deserves,” Matthews concluded.