Edmonton fits the bill for new soccer league
Canadian loop aiming for spring 2019 startup with teams from coast to coast
Paul Beirne has a long-term vision for the Canadian Premier League, and it includes FC Edmonton.
The president of the startup national professional soccer circuit is in Edmonton, getting a lay of the land, interacting with local fans and sitting down with FC Edmonton owner Tom Fath.
The CPL is aiming for a spring 2019 startup with a minimum of six teams across the country.
“I’m visiting all of the cities and communities we’re talking to for the CPL and not just for our launch year, but for our growth years as well,” Beirne said. “I’ve been to Edmonton already, but I really want to come back to complete some due diligence. Last time I was here, I didn’t get an opportunity to see the stadium, but more importantly, the groundswell of support that is coming from the supporters group and the Rally Rabbit campaign is really terrific and has really got our attention at the league office.”
Beirne is holding a pair of informational town hall sessions during his visit to interact with soccer fans in the city and get feedback on the proposed league.
FC Edmonton ceased operations in November after withdrawing from the North American Soccer League due to the uncertainty surrounding it.
The NASL lost its Division 2 sanction from the United States Soccer Federation and has gone to litigation in an effort to get it back. It has cancelled the 2018 season but hopes to return in 2019.
“In this city, if it’s FC Edmonton who ends up being in our league, then that’s a club that has history in this city and has relationships,” Beirne said. “In some of our other cities, we’re starting from scratch.”
The CPL is trying to succeed where other leagues have failed in the past.
Professional soccer has come to Edmonton in a number of incarnations, beginning with the Drillers of the original NASL, and including the Brickmen of the Canadian Soccer League, the Eagles of the Canadian Professional Soccer League, the Aviators of the United Soccer League and FC Edmonton.
“These leagues are not failing due to lack of fan support, they’re failing for other reasons and those reasons are generally business reasons,” Beirne said. “That is the difference-maker for us, and when you think of longevity for this league, that’s why it’s taken us a lot of time and a lot of planning, because we’re building our foundations properly and we’re seeking out investors. That, I think, is the fundamental difference between the previous attempts that have been made.”
The CPL has two founding franchises, in Hamilton and Winnipeg, who will play out of the respective city’s CFL stadium. The objective is to have representation from coast to coast, including teams in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, who all have successful MLS franchises.
“It’s no secret that the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Winnipeg Football Club have been sanctioned by the CSA to be pro clubs,” Beirne said. “Those two clubs are the nucleus of our new league. In the subsequent 12 months, we’ve gotten the attention of a number of other owners, but it was important for us to get a solid start in piquing people’s imaginations. Those are owners who own or operate buildings, who have a desire to explore pro soccer in Canada. It’s not a direct relationship with the CFL, but it’s very friendly.”
FC Edmonton owners Tom and Dave Fath spent and lost millions attempting to make professional soccer viable in Edmonton and were eventually forced to pull the plug after seven seasons.
Tom Fath said he would be open to joining the CPL, but it would have to be financially viable for him and his partners.
“As far as the CPL, I think the CPL is exactly what Canadian soccer needs moving forward,” he said shortly after announcing FC Edmonton was ceasing operations.
Fath is proving a good resource for prospective CPL owners, having gone through the trials of starting up a professional team. Having FC Edmonton in place makes Fath a very attractive owner to the CPL.
“In the case of Tom, it’s not a tough sell because of his passion for the game and passion for this community,” Beirne said. “I’ve never seen somebody more committed to the development of young players coming from Edmonton and putting them in a platform where they can succeed. It’s incredibly admirable, so I have felt no tension from him in this regard. He has studied our business model and our ownership group, and as every day passes, he’s getting more and more comfort from this idea that we’re setting this up properly.”