SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — After a period of 10 years as title sponsors for the Western Confederation League the Captain’s Bakery & Grill will now step aside to allow Charley’s JB Rum, last season’s co-sponsors, to take over complete funding of the league.

Brand Manager of Charley’s JB Rum Kevon Spence announced that next season his company will assume full endorsement of the league.

He was speaking during the Captain’s Bakery & Grill/Charley’s JB Rum 2013-2014 Super League Competition awards ceremony held at Hotel Commingle, Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, last Thursday night.

“This year we will be making a bold move. We will be looking to take over the full sponsorship of the league,” Spence said to tumultuous applause.

He added that come next season, JB Rums will also be introducing mid-season and end-of-season MVP cash awards.

“But not only that, we want to ensure that the players are also involved and are excited. And as such Charley’s JB Rum will be putting forward a mid-season MVP cash award and league MVP cash award. We are not going to say what’s the value, but the value will be good. Trust me on that,” Spence said.

In the meantime, President of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Captain Horace Burrell, who is also CEO of the Captain’s Bakery & Grill, was relieved that JB Rum has taken over full sponsorship of the league.

“As CEO of the Captain’s Bakery, I have always made it quite clear that we will continue to assist the parish associations until they find a sponsor. And my God, am I not happy tonight? JB Rum … Mr Spence just spoke to me at the table and agreed to assist in this area. And let me say the Captain’s Bakery spent 10 years, one decade supporting the Western Confederation and I am very relieved to know that a company, very reputable company, like Charley’s JB Rum, has come forward and it is indeed an honour and my pleasure to hand over the sponsorship of the Western Confederation to JB Rum,” Captain Burrell said.

“I want to thank JB Rum for coming on board at this crucial time of our development.”

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Western Confederation, Linnel McLean, who accepted JB Rum’s offer, thanked the Captain’s Bakery CEO for the past decade of sponsorship.

“I want to thank him for the support he has given for 10 years. Ten years is a long time and thank you very much. I appreciate it,” McLean told the JFF boss.

The Captain’s Bakery sponsored the league to the tune of $3 million last year. Spence promised an increase in funding, but refused to declare the extent of the sponsorship.

“We can’t say, but I definitely know that the sponsorship will be increased, seeing that we are taking over sponsorship of the league,” Spence told the Jamaica Observer.

He added: “The teams lack some amount of support, so we have programmes in place to work closely from a club level, so we are going to put in programmes so they can now gain finances from certain levels of activities that we will be supporting them with. That again is an added financial support so they can now offset some of the costs that they have week-to-week to maintain their stay in the league.”

The winner of the Western Confederation, Reno FC, which has since been promoted to the National Premier League, was the toast of Thursday night’s awards ceremony.