Seprod's Miguel Brown (second left) celebrates with his teammate after beating their Marksman opponents in the JET-sponsored Business House domino league final at Jacisera Park in July. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Business House sports have been an integral part of policy in many companies, not only as a means of promoting the various entities by getting their names out there, but to improve worker/management relationship as well as facilitating healthy lifestyles through fitness regimes.

Over the years, high-profile companies such as the ICD Group, GraceKennedy, Scotiabank, Desnoes & Geddes (now Red Stripe), Supreme Ventures, Jamaica Broilers, JPS, Seprod, The Cigarette Company, The Gleaner Company, along with the bauxite companies and hotels, have shelled out millions of dollars to promote inter-company rivalry in a wide range of sports.

These include football, netball, cricket, domino, basketball and table tennis. Despite the tough economic climate which has seen an overall decline in participation, it is still fashionable to 'play ball' among Business House teams.

Netball, long a popular sport among women - especially with the national team doing so well in recent years - has the largest number of teams in any given Business House competition.

The netballers play in the open league during the summer before moving on to the Senior, Intermediate A, Intermediate B and Junior leagues later in the year.

Up to 2003, the Business House Football Association facilitated three divisions, but this is no longer the case. Since the 2004 season, provision has been made by the organisers for only two divisions - I and II.

Thanks to the sponsorship of Western Sports, football is holding its own.

Cricket still alive

Cricket, though not as popular as it was 20 years ago within business houses when the West Indies team was doing well, is surviving owing to the kind sponsorship of Jamaica Broilers, Digicel and St Ann Jamaica Bauxite Partners.

The Business House Cricket board remains the oldest association, having marked its 70th anniversary in 2008.

While football, netball and cricket have been the bedrock sports over the years, many of the smaller companies have shifted the focus to other sports, participating in domino, three-on-three basketball and table tennis. These sports, unlike football and cricket, are not as expensive to fund.

Participation is still the key.