To our Canadian Premier League Community,
On the eve of our milestone fifth season, I wanted to share some thoughts on why we can all be excited about the future of the Canadian Premier League (CPL), its teams, players, and the communities we serve in growing the beautiful game from coast to coast.
But first, on behalf of all the incredibly talented and dedicated people at the CPL, let me say THANK YOU to the entire community. Building leagues is hard. Building them through a pandemic is really hard. We made it to this milestone season in large part because of your unwavering belief in what we are building together. Our Season Seat Members and all our clubs’ Supporters’ Groups are the catalyst for our young league. We see you, we hear you and we are truly grateful for what you have done, and continue to do, to lift us up and help create something special.
Importantly, the build continues.
We are thrilled to welcome Vancouver FC (VFC) and the entire Lower Mainland to the CPL family. Led by former Canadian international Rob Friend, VFC will be a point of connection for the entire Metro Vancouver area, thrilling fans on the field and giving back off it. I can’t wait to catch the first all-B.C. derby this weekend when VFC travels to Starlight Stadium to take on Pacific FC, led by another former Canadian international, Josh Simpson. And there is no way I am going to miss VFC’s inaugural match on May 7, at the club’s brand-new soccer-specific stadium on the grounds of the Langley Events Centre. VFC is one of the many expansion sides we will be celebrating in the coming years, so stay tuned.
The CPL was founded in part to help the Canadian Men’s National Team be successful. We are so proud that over five short years the CPL has become an important pathway to representing Canada on the global stage. Five players who have played in the CPL have been called up to represent their country, including Victor Loturi, Dominick Zator, Joel Waterman, Lucas MacNaughton and James Pantemis. And they certainly will not be the last.
Another point of great pride for our young league is creating opportunities for our players to continue contributing to the growth of the Canadian game when they hang up their boots. I love seeing former York United defender Jordan Wilson offering his astute opinions on OneSoccer, and guys like Drew Beckie, Jamar Dixon, Mason Trafford and Daryl Fordyce transitioning into the front offices of the clubs they captained.
And it is not just the players who inspire us. Three match officials who have adjudicated CPL games will be heading to FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer. Big congratulations and our best wishes go out to Marie-Soleil Beaudoin, Myriam Marcotte, and Chantal Boudreau. I am sure they will do us proud.
We couldn’t do any of this without our incredible corporate partners. I offer a warm welcome to new CPL partners CIBC, TELUS, Carlsberg, Degree, Maple Lodge Farms and tonybet and a special thanks to CPL Founding Partner, Volkswagen Canada, who just renewed its partnership for another five years! Partners like these, along with WestJet, Allstate, Gatorade, Macron, GoGo Squeez, New Era and Derbystar, help us bring CPL to life and I highly encourage our loyal supporters to patronize these businesses whenever possible.
Starting tomorrow, our focus will be back where it belongs: on the pitch. Our clubs will compete to win the CPL Regular Season, the CPL Final, under our new Playoff format where every match is a final, and the Canadian Championship. The holder of each one of these trophies will also receive a berth into the prestigious 2024 Concacaf Champions League and the honour of competing against the region’s finest clubs. The stakes have never been higher, and I wish each of our clubs the best of luck as they compete for all the glory.
But before we shift our focus to the games at hand, let me again reiterate our deepest appreciation for your continued support. I hope to be able to greet every one of you (and all your friends!) at a live match this season. And if you can’t make it to the stadium, please tune into OneSoccer where every single CPL match is broadcast live for your enjoyment with some of the best voices in the business.
We look forward to continuing this wonderful journey with you.
All the best,
