Canadian Soccer Business, which represents Canada SoccerB次元官网网址檚 corporate partnerships and broadcast rights among other assets, took its lumps this year.

Politicians clamoured to see the contract between the two. Players complained that the CSB deal with the governing body of Canadian soccer is holding the game back and preventing national teams from getting the kind of preparation they need.

Mark Noonan, who doubles as CEO of Canadian Soccer Business and commissioner of the Canadian Premier League, not surprisingly disagrees.

He points to Christine SinclairB次元官网网址檚 farewell international game Dec. 5, a 1-0 win over Australia at B.C. Place Stadium before a bumper crowd of 48,112.

While Canadian national team games are usually streamed only on OneSoccer, TSN also showed the Sinclair swansong.

B次元官网网址淭hat was 100 per cent orchestrated by Canadian Soccer Business,B次元官网网址� said Noonan.

CSB got the rights from Mediapro and stuck a deal with TSN and Canada Soccer.

B次元官网网址淚n a perfect world, TSN would pay a rights fee to Mediapro. They werenB次元官网网址檛 willing to do that,B次元官网网址� said Noonan.

B次元官网网址淲e gave them a fully produced game at no cost,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淭hey enhanced it a little bit and they put on their network. B次元官网网址� They have a big platform and to send off the greatest Canadian soccer player in the right way was really important to anybody whoB次元官网网址檚 involved in the game.

B次元官网网址淔or us it was the right thing to do. So we figured out a way to get that done.B次元官网网址�

CSB, which shares the same ownership as the Canadian Premier League, was announced in March 2018 as B次元官网网址渁 new sports enterprise representing commercial assets and inventory for marquee soccer properties in Canada.B次元官网网址�

It represents corporate partnerships and broadcast rights for the womenB次元官网网址檚 and menB次元官网网址檚 national team programs, all commercial assets of the CPL, the Canadian Championship and Canadian soccer grassroots programs.

Canada Soccer, which does not hold an ownership stake in CSB, is believed to receive some $4 million a year currently under the deal as B次元官网网址渢he beneficiary of a rights fee guarantee.B次元官网网址� That amount has been boosted by some $500,000 each year leading up to the 2026 World Cup.

Noonan says talks continue with Canada Soccer over possibly amending the agreement.

B次元官网网址淲e hope with the new leadership (at Canada Soccer) we can really continue to work on the relationship B次元官网网址� We continue to play a role as the growth engine of soccer in this country,B次元官网网址� Noonan said.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been unfairly criticized by people who have other agendas B次元官网网址� WeB次元官网网址檙e not apologizing any more,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been punched in the face unfairly.B次元官网网址�

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press

READ MORE: