Gordon Williams, Contributor

( L - R ) Seaga, Price, Jureidini

A huge gap, between money received from sponsors and the rising cost to run a team, has forced top club rivals on the field into a desperate alliance off it, in a bid to secure a better deal from the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).

"We have decided to take collective action," Edward Seaga, president of the Tivoli Gardens Football Club who chairs an association that represents the 12 National Premier League (NPL) teams, said on Thursday.

"The clubs have formed an association and are trying to help ourselves, the JFF, to bring more funds into the clubs, to the league and Jamaica's football development," explained Clyde Jureidini, general manager of last season's NPL champions Harbour View.

NPL clubs, mandated to achieve a level of professionalism, have been hit hard by what they - and the sponsors - concede is a gaping shortfall in current funding. Each NPL team reportedly received approximately $700,000 from JFF-secured sponsorship last season, plus incentive-based prize money. The clubs claim that is insufficient to compete in a nine-month NPL season, plus other competitions such as the Caribbean Football Union's Club Championships, which attracts the NPL's top two teams.

Club representatives estimated it will cost between $12 million and $17 million to run a team in the NPL this season, which is scheduled to begin next month. That money would cover salaries for players and staff, equipment, nutrition, medical care, improving infrastructure and a slew of other expenses. Since prize money is usually paid after the season, each club must find funds up front to pay most expenses.

'DELICATE'

Discussions between the newly formed association and the JFF are reportedly at "a delicate stage", a club representative said earlier this week.

On Thursday, Seaga declined to discuss details of the clubs' bid, saying he "did not want to break faith" shown between the parties, which also met on Friday. He asked this reporter to call Friday afternoon for details. However, efforts to contact him at that time were unsuccessful.

Email and telephone messages left for JFF general secretary