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Atlético Ottawa Joins Canadian Premier League
– Ottawa’s new professional soccer team kicks off in Spring 2020 –
Ottawa, ON (February 11, 2020) – The Canadian Premier League (CPL) confirmed today that the League’s 8th Club will be named Atlético Ottawa. The official Atlético Ottawa announcement was made today at TD Place with CPL Commissioner David Clanachan, Atlético de Madrid’s CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, Atlético Ottawa Strategic Partner, Jeff Hunt. Joining them were His Worship, the Honourable Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, Ambassador of Spain to Canada Enrique Ruiz Molero and a crowd of local supporters, fans, soccer and business leaders were in attendance all celebrating the official kickoff of the Club’s name, brand identity and crest.
When it came time to naming the CPL’s newest club, the approach was simple and obvious. You don’t abandon iconic; you embrace it. The club’s name, Atlético Ottawa, is inspired by its parent Club, Club Atlético de Madrid, a globally recognized team with a decorated past, and now, an ambitious future. Bringing their values and club philosophy to another nation, in the form of the nation’s capital new Canadian Premier League team.
Club Atlético de Madrid’s Fernando López will oversee operations for Atlético Ottawa with local business leader Jeff Hunt as a strategic partner. The club will play at the renowned TD Place which sits on the Unesco World Heritage Site, the Rideau Canal in the city’s downtown core.
Fans and supporters can become Founding Members of Atlético Ottawa here: www.atleticoottawa.club
To learn more about the Canadian Premier League’s 8th Club follow @AtletiOttawa on Facebook and Instagram and @Atleti_Ottawa on Twitter.
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Atlético Ottawa Identity and Crest Defined
The club’s official colours are Federal Red, Blanc d’Ottawa and Rideau Blue.
The club crest is a reflection of the numerous symbols and structures across our vast country that Canadians would consider “emblematic” of our nation. When you inspect the newest CPL club emblem, you will instantly recognize the symbols within it, like the ornate shields on the Parliament building’s walls that inspired its shape.
CREST BREAKDOWN
The Shape of the shield: The Gothic Revival inspired exterior of the Parliament building Centre Block is adorned with numerous ornate carvings and materials, many of which were inspired by a wave of patriotism following Canada’s contributions to the war effort.
THE PEACE TOWER
One of the most iconic images in our country is the stately Peace Tower on Parliament Hill whether you’re seeing it up close, or as a silhouette at night. The clock, the flag, the copper roof…the “Tower of Victory and Peace” is both a National beacon and quintessentially Ottawa.
THE CURVED ARCH
The Rideau Canal, which runs past Atlético Ottawa’s home at TD Place, features numerous bridges, both quaint and substantial. Some are made of steel, others built from stone and even timber, but most of them are distinctly curved. This detail pays tribute to the Canal’s significance, both locally and nationally.
RED AND WHITE STRIPES
Atlético de Madrid is known for its red and white stripes, and Canada is known for its red and white flag. Federal Red and Blanc d’Ottawa living side by side, like Ontario and Quebec, English and French.
THE MAPLE LEAF
As the nation’s capital, Ottawa is the city that unifies Canada from Coast to Coast. In the Canadian Premier League, the Spanish and Canadian capitals, Ottawa and Madrid, are now connected through the beautiful game.
Quotes
“This is an exciting day for the Canadian Premier League, and we are thrilled to welcome Atlético Ottawa as our 8th Club. Bringing soccer to Ottawa has been a priority for us and having the involvement of one of the leaders in global football is something we are very excited about.”
David Clanachan
Commissioner, Canadian Premier League
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“We’re very excited to be part of a project as beautiful as Atlético Ottawa. We’ll work with the Canadian Premier League to share our vision of soccer and bring our experience, and also with the other clubs in the competition to help local soccer grow, as well as learning everything that a spectacular country like Canada has to offer.”
“We’re looking forward to connecting with the local community for the development of soccer in the country. We want Ottawa fans to be able to feel proud to belong to the great family that is Atlético de Madrid and to share our values with them.”
Miguel Ángel Gil Marín
CEO, Atlético de Madrid
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“It’s a great honour for me to partner with an iconic soccer club like Atlético Madrid and I’m excited for the soccer fans in Ottawa/Gatineau. The Atlético Ottawa experience will be a testament to this city, the community and the wonderful supporters and fans the city of Ottawa has.”
Jeff Hunt
Strategic Partner, Atlético Ottawa
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About the Canadian Premier League
Canadian Premier League (CPL) is Canada’s professional men’s soccer league that debuted on April 27, 2019. Headquartered in Toronto, ON, the Canadian Premier League features eight clubs from coast-to-coast. For updates and more information on the CPL, a league for Canadians by Canadians, visit CanPL.ca.
Connect with us on Twitter: @CPLsoccer and #CanPL
About Atlético de Madrid
Atlético de Madrid was founded in 1903 and is one of the biggest clubs in Spanish and European football in terms of honors, membership size and competitiveness. The men’s team has won 10 La Liga titles, 10 Copa del Rey trophies, one Intercontinental Cup, two UEFA Super Cups, two Spanish Super Cups, three UEFA Europa League titles and one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. Atlético de Madrid is currently enjoying one of its greatest sporting moments, having won nine trophies in the last decade and having reached the UEFA Champions League final in 2014 and 2016. These achievements have placed the men’s team amongst the top sides in Europe, according to UEFA’s club rankings. Club Atlético de Madrid’s leadership includes, President is Enrique Cerezo, and CEO, Miguel Ángel Gil Marín. Diego Pablo Simeone is the coach of a team that includes world stars such as Oblak, Koke, João Félix, Diego Costa and Saúl.
Atlético de Madrid’s success would not be possible without the loyalty of its fans, which is reflected in the club’s more than 130,000 members, over 800 fan clubs around the world and more than 30 million followers on social media. In the 2017-18 season, the club inaugurated the Wanda Metropolitano, a spectacular stadium with capacity for 68,000 fans and equipped with the latest technological advances. It hosted the last UEFA Champions League final on June 1, 2019, just one year and eight months after it was inaugurated. The match between Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC was an organizational success as the Wanda Metropolitano became the epicenter of world football.
The club also has a women’s team, which is among the most successful sides in Spain. It has won the last three league titles and one Copa de la Reina trophy. On March 17, 2019, the Wanda Metropolitano broke the world attendance record for a women’s club match as 60,739 fans gathered to watch Atlético de Madrid Femenino take on FC Barcelona.
