… Increase of 100% and more on first prize
TEAMS battling for supremacy in the 21st edition of the Kashif and Shanghai (K&S) Football Extravaganza will have as an added incentive, a 10% and more increase on the first prize for this year’s tournament which is set to kick off on Sunday, December 12 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
This announcement was made by K&S organisation chief  Kashif Muhammad at the official launch of the tournament which took place at the Duke Lodge Hotel yesterday, in the presence of Ms Beverley Harper (Managing Director of Ansa McAl) and Sharda Veeren-Chand (Marketing Director of DDL), two new additions to the list of sponsors.
According to Muhammad, Ansa McAl will be sponsoring the first prize which will be 100% and more of the original $1M, along with the championship trophy and replicas.
“First of all, let me say that this year the challenge is on us to better last year’s tournament where footballers and football enthusiasts were treated to the presence of Edison Arantes do Nascimento aka King Pele and while it would be difficult to top such a performance, we will try to give of our best.
Our goal is always to please the football public, hence we have centred our plans on doing so and with the help of both the public and private community, we can achieve that goal,” stated Muhammad.
He said the K&S organisation is in the process of having discussions with the Government of Guyana as well as other private entities such as the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company, as they seek to make this year’s tournament an unforgettable one in comparison to last year’s.
Muhammad also informed the media of ongoing talks between the K&S Organisation and an international sports company, with regard to sponsorship that will benefit the players competing in the tournament, as they have not only the best interest of the public, but also the players at heart.
In her brief remarks, Harper whose name would mostly be affiliated with cricket instead of football expressed her company’s pleasure at being associated with the dynamic duo.
“Certainly, it is a pleasure for me to sit here today and express how happy I am with Ansa McAl being a part of such a premier tournament here in Guyana.
As you are aware, we do sponsor numerous sports events but this tournament is close to our hearts for even though we have not been associated with this dynamic duo before, some of our staff who are ardent football fans would talk of the excitement from matches they witnessed on a daily basis,” stated Harper.
She added; “The K&S Organisation is a well oiled machine which has come of age over the years, as their 21 years of existence would say for itself and I hope that our relationship with them would go a long way, making footballers and football enthusiasts happy.
I wish to say congratulations on reaching the number 21 (the same as my daughter) and I do look forward to working with these two fine gentlemen in the interest of football in the future, using our wide range of products.”
Like Harper, Veeren-Chand also expressed her delight at being associated with the tournament through their Pepsi brand.
“DDL has always looked at ways to give back to the community and over the years, we have watched from a spectators stand point how the K&S Organisation has brought together teams from around Guyana for such a wonderful tournament.
DDL is pleased to be involved with the tournament this year and we look forward to working with the organisers in the years ahead as they seek to make the tournament a better one.”
Meanwhile, for the first time in the tournament’s history, only two teams from the mining town of Linden will be competing in this year’s tournament in comparison to previous years when they had approximately five and six teams out of that area doing so.
Bakewell Topp XX and Milerock Football Clubs will be representing Linden, Liquid Gold (Bartica), Seawall United (West Demerara), Victoria Kings and Buxton United (East Coast) and New Amsterdam United and Rosignol United (Berbice).
They will be doing battle alongside Georgetown’s Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United, GDF, Pele, Santos, Sunburst Camptown, Fruta Conquerors and Riddim Squad for the prestigious title which is currently being held by BK International Western Tigers.
According to Muhammad, Caribbean United from Barbados and another foreign-based team will grace these shores to compete in the tournament, while a national team from one of the Commonwealth countries will engage the Golden Jaguars on the opening night, once the intricacies are ironed out.
With a first prize in excess of $2.5M (trophies and cash) being guaranteed to the winning team, the battle for supremacy will be fierce and enthralling.