Weight lifted - PFJL boss relieved lawsuit failed to derail season

Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL) CEO Owen Hill says the organisation had a huge burden lifted off its shoulders ahead of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) playoffs when the Supreme Court denied an injunction brought by Pivott LLC.

Pivott, the organisation tasked with broadcasting the JPL this season, is suing PFJL for damages in excess of $100 million over alleged breaches of contract and non-disclosure agreement violations.

Speaking at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season at the National Stadium on Sunday, where Portmore defeated Cavalier 5-3 on penalties after playing to a 2-2 draw, Hill, noted that although the lawsuit was still active, having the injunction denied just before the start of the playoffs was a blessing for the PFJL.

"It is a massive one (burden lifted). We are very cautious in how we operate. While we have big ambitions and dreams, we operate in a climate that is very delicate.

"We want to do what is right, according to the fans, but we also need to be protective of the brands that we support or who support us.

"So it definitely was a huge load that was lifted off as it allowed for us to go boldly into the direction that we needed to," said.

Pivott LLC alleges that PFJL failed to honour broadcast commitments, that it improperly used and distributed broadcast material, and breached exclusivity by broadcasting live games on YouTube (JPL TV), while also claiming damages exceeding US$500,000 in addition to an outstanding service balance of US$207,000.

Hill noted that had the ruling gone the other way, it could have been catastrophic for the JPL and the just-concluded playoffs.

"We have been cleared, ultimately. The judge would ensure that the legal matters would have been sorted out. So we are eligible to do what is required."

Following the ruling, Pivott was ordered to pay PFJL’s legal costs, with the latter organisation hoping to have the claim dismissed entirely. However, PFJL will now be relying on their own broadcasting platform for the foreseeable future, said Hill.

"It is still a matter that is court delicate," he noted. "But we try to keep that as respectable as possible. For the most part, we are still operating and still delivering according to what the realities are on the ground and what we know the future is.

"So for broadcasting, we are still going direct-to-consumer as a strategy, and that gives us the opportunity to own the product. As you know, a chunk of value is lost if you do not have access to your own product via broadcast.

"Our strategy is always to build out. The big global strategy is to have all the games being televised or being able to be consumed, but it is something we have to be very careful about as we go along," he concluded.

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