The Gros Islet Football League has entered a historic partnership with Jersey Bird, a sportswear design and manufacturing company that works directly with sports teams to create custom jerseys and apparel. The Gros Islet-based club, part of the Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League, is the first Caribbean team to sign with the manufacturer.
Romario Lendor, the team’s manager, is the key figure behind this collaboration. In an interview with St Lucia Times, Lendor revealed that the partnership stemmed from his other role as a retailer of sporting goods.
“The partnership with Jersey Bird was through a contact that I made with the owner of Jersey Bird,” he said. “I’m a sports merchant, so I sell sporting goods,l sports equipment and sports uniforms. Initially, the plan was to use the contact for the senior men’s national team, but I decided to use a contact for one of the local teams because I believe that it would have a better impact.
“[That way], I would be able to sell and elevate the profile of our Semi-Professional league, rather than just doing it for the national team. One of the main objectives for me is to improve [and] to get more eyes on our Semi-Professional Football League.”
Lendor doesn’t see this as a one-off. Rather, he believes it can evolve into a long-term partnership between the club and the clothing manufacturer.
“This is the first year, so it’s just a testing phase of many things,” he noted. “My plan is to start to prepare for next year as early as possible because I also serve as team manager for the Gros Islet football team, just so that I can be closer to the action … to better understand the process and see how I can better it every year.”
Behind the scenes, the club, media partners, and the jersey maker are collaborating on content, including a documentary film, to promote the team’s progress through the SPFL. The ultimate goal is to advance to the CONCACAF Champions League. No Saint Lucian club has ever played in the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup or advanced to the CONCACAF Champions League. Despite the slim odds, all parties involved are confident that the brand can exceed expectations and become recognised throughout the region as a winner. The team are currently ranked 4th in the SPFL Premier League Table, having finished 3rd overall last season. They hope to move from strength to strength in this regard.
