Above: Usain Bolt

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Jamaica’s University of Technology has launched a new project aimed at developing a new commercial sports business model in the country.

The programme, “Development of Sports Business Value Chains in Jamaica,” which will begin in September, is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank.

“We’re here to sign a technical cooperation for the development of sports business value chains in Jamaica,” said Ancile Brewster, the IDB’s country representative for Jamaica. “Through this programme, the bank will leverage approximately $150,000 USD in grant resources to the creation of a sustainable sports business model that will address particularly the youth in our inner-city and rural communities in Jamaica.”

The first wave of projects will pilot a newly-designed business for “sustainable sport entrepreneurship” at three new and/or existing sports clubs in Jamaica.

The success of each project will be indicated by the engagement of at least 20 youth from inner-city and/or rural communities as professional, semi-professional or national athletes in sustainable sports enterprises within two years after the completion of the project.

Rosalea Hamilton, a professor at UTECH, said the goal would be to set up links between sport and other economic sectors, to launch new sports institutions and increase participation in world sports events.

“We want to contribute to the development of new areas of sports,” Hamilton said. “We want to, for example, do some work with beach sports. We want to strengthen existing organizations that have real potential that are in need of assistance. We also want to develop new sport-related courses.”