An analysis of the TT Pro League’s Progress
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Professional football in Trinidad and Tobago began in 1999. Austin Jack Warner, then FIFA Vice President and Special Advisor to the TTFF-
According to ttproleague.com, as Jack Warner withdrew as founder of the PFL in 2002 the League was disbanded and the Trinidad and Tobago Pro League or more commonly known as the TT Pro League was formed.
On the occasion of TT Pro League 15th season, this article compares the league against other professional football leagues within the CONCACAF -
In 1996, MLS -
The MLS began with ten teams and has now expanded to nineteen with possibly four more in the near future. PFL started with eight teams and currently has nine. One major issue affecting the Pro League is that of Finance. Unlike their American counterparts, the local clubs do not have billionaire owners and, therefore, need corporate sponsorship. Many players have complained that they have not been paid by some of their local clubs.
In 1999, the minimum salary for a PFL player was TTD 2000.00 per month. In 2014 players are paid TTD 2500.00 per month. In 1996, MLS players were paid USD 12,000 per year but with the new Collective Bargaining Agreement the minimum salary is USD 35,125.00 per annum. This represents an increase of over one hundred percent. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that Pro League players may no longer pursue professional football if they can provide a better standard of living for themselves and their families in a different vocation.
There is also the question of Corporate Sponsorship. MLS has several corporate sponsors such as Adidas, Allstate, AT&T, Castrol, Visa, and Red Bull to name a few. The MLS TV deal is currently USD 18 million per year and will be increased to USD 70 million per year beginning 2015. MLS game day attendance has also improved over the years. TT Pro League, however, does not receive anything near that figure from corporate funding nor has game day attendance improved substantially in the r3cent past.
TT Pro League teams have consistently qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League and have even made it to the group stages. However, no TT Pro League team has won the competition since 1996. Thirteen titles were won by Mexican clubs; two were won by Costa Rican and two by American clubs.
There are some basic solutions that can be implemented to improve the Pro League. With respect to crowd attendance, making the match venues more community based will improve attendance much like the second tier Super League. Point Fortin FC can attest to this having regard to the vibrant support they receive at Maraca Oval for their home games. Another solution is that of marketing.
Every club should have a website where fans can have easy access to any team related news, player biographies, player statistics, highlights. Local businesses can utilize the site to advertise also. The third solution is for local clubs to form a partnership with a European club, probably the Dutch or Belgian leagues which are considered to be the stepping stone to the more prominent leagues in Spain, Italy and England. Local coaches, physiotherapists will have the opportunity to visit these clubs to improve their skills and knowledge of the game. The foreign coaches will also have access to local talent and can have the first option to select local players.
All in all the Pro League has provided a platform for players to showcase their talent on a professional level. Players such as Kaleen Hyland, Lester Pettier, Attalla Guerra, Kevin Molino, Willis Plaza, Shandon Winchester, Keno Daniel and Sheldon Bateau have made use of this platform and went on to play in more respected leagues across the world.
There is great potential for growth of the TT Pro League. A business model must be adopted by both the clubs and the League administration to effect an overall improvement in all aspects-
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