At a press conference held on Tuesday, February 22nd to launch the Bob Marley One Love Charity Football match, Digicel was announced as the title sponsor behind the event which will raise funds for children at the three state-run homes across Jamaica. The announcement came only weeks after the telecommunications company announced a group-wide two-year partnership with the legend Bob Marley through the Bob Marley Foundation.
Scheduled to take place at the National Stadium on March 9th, the initiative will benefit the Best Care Lodge, the Special Olympics and the Mustard Seed Communities.
The Bob Marley One Love Charity Football Matches were designed by chief organizer, Clive ‘Busy’ Campbell – former Santos football player and friend of Bob Marley – to create an avenue to provide funding for charities that focus on children. “Bob was a very good friend of mine, he was always about the children and how important they are to our country’s future. Since then I’ve been focused on the needs of children through my support of the Best Care Children’s Home, Mustard Seed basic schools in general and this year’s event is expected to be even Bigger and Better with Digicel on board”, Clive ‘Busy’ Campbell.
In the meantime, Deane Shepherd, Director of Blueprint Consultants and event planners for the match commented that, “The collaboration between football and entertainment was selected because of Marley’s love for both, their unifying nature and ability to engender friendly rivalry among athletes, entertainers and corporate entities alike. So far, several local celebrities have confirmed their involvement such as Kymani Marley, Chris Martin, Wayne Marshall, Courtney Walsh, Peter Prendergast and many more.
“Bob Marley is known, not only for his outstanding musical legacy, but also for his passion for football and his love for his Jamaican people. With Digicel being a huge supporter of Jamaican culture and football locally and across the region, it was only natural that we’d want to leverage our partnership with Bob Marley to be a part of this exciting initiative which will benefit children that are less fortunate”, closed Paula Pinnock-MacLeod, Sports Sponsorship Manager at Digicel Jamaica.
About Bob Marley One Love Football Match
The Bob Marley One Love Celebrity Football Match was established in 1982 and has since become a feature of the celebration of Black History month and the life of our reggae ambassador, Bob Marley. The event features popular entertainers playing football and competing in various track events against popular Jamaican celebrities.
