It didnB次元官网网址檛 take long for Christine Sinclair to see the impact from the announcement that a new pro womenB次元官网网址檚 soccer league planned to kick off in Canada in 2025.
B次元官网网址淭he number of kids that came up to me and said, B次元官网网址榃ell IB次元官网网址檓 going to be playing in 10 years,B次元官网网址� I think thatB次元官网网址檚 why weB次元官网网址檙e doing this,B次元官网网址� Sinclair said. B次元官网网址淚nspiring the next generation of young Canadians and giving young girls an opportunity to fulfil their dreams.B次元官网网址�
On Monday night, former national team player Diana Matheson and business partner Thomas Gilbert announced plans for the league under the banner of Project 8 Sports Inc. More details were provided Tuesday on a media conference call.
CIBC and Air Canada are founding partners and the league will be led B次元官网网址減rimarily by former national team players,B次元官网网址� Project 8 said. Sinclair, whoB次元官网网址檚 serving as an adviser, and Stephanie Labb茅, the Vancouver Whitecaps GM of womenB次元官网网址檚 soccer, will be involved in planning and development.
B次元官网网址淎s a player that still plays on the national team, IB次元官网网址檝e been waiting my entire career for even just the opportunity or the chance or the choice to play at home,B次元官网网址� Sinclair said on a video call. B次元官网网址淚 think as national team players, thatB次元官网网址檚 all we ever wanted.B次元官网网址�
The Whitecaps and Calgary Foothills are two of the founding clubs in the eight-team league. The other six teams are expected to be named next year.
B次元官网网址淲omenB次元官网网址檚 professional sport is a new industry,B次元官网网址� Matheson said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 growing faster than menB次元官网网址檚 sport and it will keep growing over the next two decades. We know that. So itB次元官网网址檚 both the best sport and itB次元官网网址檚 growing.B次元官网网址�
CanadaB次元官网网址檚 national teams have made significant strides over the last decade. The womenB次元官网网址檚 side won Olympic bronze in 2012 and 2016 before taking gold last year in Tokyo.
The menB次元官网网址檚 team just made its first World Cup appearance in 36 years and Canada will co-host the 2026 tournament. Canada is expected to be a contender at the womenB次元官网网址檚 World Cup next summer.
Canada Soccer has offered its support for the project, Matheson said, noting that official sanctioning of the league has been targeted for May 2024.
B次元官网网址淲e plan to be working closer with them next year to work toward that and build out things that we know that need to be built out,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淟ike coaching, education, coaching pathways to our league, referee pathways to our league.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 lot of things that weB次元官网网址檙e looking forward to collaborating (on) with them.B次元官网网址�
Many top Canadian players currently play for European clubs or the U.S.-based National WomenB次元官网网址檚 Soccer League.
Matheson expressed optimism that B次元官网网址渞ecognizable Canadian starsB次元官网网址� will want to play in the new league, adding that each team will have at least one Canadian international.
The franchise fee has been set at $1 million and each teamB次元官网网址檚 operating cost is estimated to be in the $8-10 million range over the first five seasons, she confirmed.
Based on early projections for corporate sponsorships and attendance, Matheson added, the average player salary should be competitive with other leagues.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e setting our sights high because we donB次元官网网址檛 think thereB次元官网网址檚 any reason not to given our player pool, given the companies that are behind this, given the clubs that are already behind this and given the growing womenB次元官网网址檚 game,B次元官网网址� Matheson said.
The league hopes to finalize a partnership with a broadcaster/distributor by the second half of 2023. Nathalie Cook, a former vice-president at TSN and RDS, is serving as a Project 8 strategic adviser.
B次元官网网址淚 think people are waiting for this product to arrive and itB次元官网网址檚 our job to make sure it looks good and they can find it when it does arrive,B次元官网网址� Matheson said. B次元官网网址淲e think thereB次元官网网址檚 going to be a really strong foundation to build.B次元官网网址�
The league has yet to be named. Preliminary conversations have been held with several potential ownership groups, Matheson said.
B次元官网网址淲e want this to be a Canadian league,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淪o anywhere from Vancouver Island to the Maritimes.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址擥regory Strong, The Canadian Press
