By John Ramsingh
Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise the Jamaica Tallawahs has been sold to the Worldwide Sports Management Group, whose founder and President, Krishna “Kris” Persaud, is of the opinion that the Tallawahs will repeat as champions in 2017.
Persaud, who spoke to this publication said: “I expect the Jamaica Tallawahs to repeat as champions and thrill the world… and I want to be part of that.”
The Tallawahs, current Hero CPL champions, will begin the defence of their title on August 5th in Lauderhill, Florida, at the Central Broward Regional Stadium, a facility at which Worldwide Sports Management Group have also signed a long-term agreement to host and market international cricket.
This agreement will require Worldwide Sports to provide all necessary capital improvements and technology enhancements to make the stadium a world class plug and play facility. To this end, Persaud stated, “I want to bring more cricket to the USA, and the acquisition of the Jamaica Tallawahs plays into that strategy.”
Persaud, who was born in Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara in Guyana, also runs KPC Properties LLC, a real estate investment firm that has, in South Florida, an extensive portfolio that includes approximately 2,500 multi-family units in the region. Besides his property business Mr Persaud sits on the Board of Directors of Oxbridge Reinsurance Limited.
Speaking about the acquisition of the Jamaica Tallawahs franchise, Persaud said: “I would like to especially thank the previous owners and the Hero CPL Team for all of their assistance in making the Tallawahs’ acquisition a reality. And I wish our Mighty Strong Tallawah Team all the best in the upcoming 2017 competition.”
Additionally, the successful businessman stated, “Jamaica has a deep and rich culture in cricket. I love the people and the beaches, and I want cricket to keep prospering in Jamaica, and by extension the West Indies… Jamaica represents almost half of the cricketing base in the Caribbean, so to support cricket in the country with the largest fan base is the smart thing to do.”
Persaud is an engineer by profession, and has been living in the United States of America for more than 35 years.
Damien O’Donohoe, the Chief Executive Officer of the Hero CPL, said: “We are delighted to welcome Kris Persaud and Worldwide Sports Management Group to the Hero CPL family, and look forward to a long and fruitful working relationship with them in both Jamaica and the USA.”
