THE END OF THE EDDIES
Fath brothers give up their passion project
Brothers Tom Fath and Dave Fath poured their hearts, souls and millions of dollars into attempting to make professional soccer viable in Edmonton.
Unfortunately in the end, the ball was taken away from them.
The co-owners of FC Edmonton announced Friday they are leaving the North American Soccer League and ceasing operations of the professional team. They will continue to fund the FC Edmonton academy.
“It’s difficult, of course, because we had put a lot of time and energy and money into it,” Tom Fath said. “We were doing it because we wanted to give back to the city and we’ve seen a number of ways which it has. I think it’s helped build soccer in the community. We’ve had more than 14 youth move up through to our national team programs from our academy. Between the academy and the games, we’ve hosted huge numbers of youths to our games.”
The NASL was kneecapped when the United States Soccer Federation decided not to renew the league’s Division 2 status and instead categorized it as a Division 3 circuit for next season.
The league took another hit recently when a U.S. federal judge ruled against an antitrust lawsuit filed against the USSF, the governing body of soccer in the United States. The ruling may essentially kill off the league.
“I’ve always believed in the NASL and I’ve always supported them, but the primary thing is that our franchise, the way it’s turned out since we started in November 2009, it’s not sustainable the way it is right now,” Fath said. “If you look at the USSF, by the struggles we had last year and currently where they ’re not sanctioning us as Division 2, it’s just another factor and effectively reinforces the need to do what we’re doing.
“Regardless of the decision, we must express our sincere thanks to the players, coaches and supporters and our very hard-working administration team and their commitment and dedication to professional soccer in Edmonton. We also want to reinsure local youth soccer that we remain committed to our local youth academy.”
FC Edmonton was founded by the Fath brothers in 2009 and began playing in the reincarnated version of the NASL in 2011. The Faths were the last original owners in the league, which had a fluctuating number of clubs through its existence.
“It’s not easy. It’s tough emotionally, and we’ll be thinking about things over the next little bit,” Fath said. “Looking at moving forward, we have to see if there is an opportunity to move forward with a sustainable model in some way or other. Currently, there isn’t another league. There is a potential other league, so we’re evaluating our potential moving forward.”
Fath said FC Edmonton will not be joining the United Soccer League, which retained the Division 2 status it was granted on a provisional basis last year.
The proposed Canadian Premier League is a possibility, but there
We were doing it because we wanted to give back to the city and we’ve seen a number of ways which it has. I think it’s helped build soccer in the community.
is no definite startup date for the national circuit.
“We will not go to the USL and we’re not going to the MLS. Those are really the only two other leagues,” Fath said. “As far as the CPL, I think the CPL is exactly what Canadian soccer needs moving forward.”
As two successful local businessmen, Tom and Dave Fath were originally approached by former Edmonton Trappers president Mel Kowalchuk about investing in a professional soccer club.
Despite the previous demises of professional soccer in the city, which included the Edmonton Drillers of the original NASL, the Edmonton Eagles, the Edmonton Brickmen and the Edmonton Aviators, the Fath brothers agreed to form FC Edmonton, knowing they were unlikely to ever turn a profit running a pro team in the city.
The brothers are believed to have lost upwards of $1 million per season and struggled to gain support from the city and the local amateur soccer community.