Football Contest Spurs Creative Entries

Details

Football

Tuesday, 31 January 2012 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St John's - Organisers have said submissions for the Antigua & Barbuda Football Association's "name the football team" competition have been brisk, halfway through the campaign. 

The contest to find a name for the senior national football team, which has advanced to the semifinals of the qualifying round for the FIFA World Cup 2014, will close at 4 pm on Friday, February 3. 

Most of the suggestions have sought to twin the sporting aspect with the tourism product, while others have considered the team's beat-the-odds win against Haiti on November 11, 2011 – a victory that thrust the country into the international spotlight.
 
General Secretary of the ABFA Gordon Derrick said, “Most of the rationales for the entries we have received so far look at how we can use the team to market the country. It tells us at the ABFA that the people of Antigua & Barbuda understand that this historic moment in our history is about much more than just football. It's about the team doing its best and the country doing its best to rally behind the team so that they can win."

He added, "But it's also about all of us, across all divides whether those are sporting ideologies or sports and commerce and tourism and government uniting to recognise and seize this moment as a golden opportunity to market this tourism-dependent country." 

Some of the entries focus on attributes considered to be the country’s best, like the beaches, the national fruit, and a particular alcoholic beverage. Others focus on quirks intrinsically Antiguan, such as the lexicon. And there are entries that take into account what is seen as the team's steadfastness and courage. 

People are invited to send their team names, with rationales of no more than 150 words, to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or PO Box 773, St John’s Antigua; or deliver to the ABFA office at Suite #19 Vendors Mall, Heritage Quay. The submissions will be shortlisted by a panel, and then the public will have another opportunity to weigh in on the final decision in a text-to-win vote.


The person with the winning entry will receive two airline tickets and accommodation for two to attend the opening game on June 8 in the US. The winner will also receive VIP treatment for the home games, including two replica jerseys.

• < Prev
• Next >