CanPL.ca Newsroom: Exclusive chat with Al Simpson, head of Saskatchewan CPL bid
In the latest episode of the CanPL.ca Virtual Newsroom…
Charlie O’Connor-Clarke and Marty Thompson are joined by Al Simpson, the head of Living Sky Sports and Entertainment Inc. and of Saskatchewan’s Canadian Premier League expansion bid, which was announced Friday.
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Simpson answered a variety of questions, including about the stadium plans at Prairieland Park in Saskatoon, a potential kick-off season, team kits and colours, the journey to acquire the rights to a CPL club, and much more.
- 0:52 – First words from Al Simpson, the face of Saskatchewan’s CPL expansion bid.
- 4:55 – Simpson details his interest in CPL from back in 2017: “There was an enormous amount of planning that went into this.”
- 8:00 – “If there are 10 steps to this, what we’re announcing today is step two
- 9:35 – Simpson outlines the plan to reach a 4,000-seat capacity at Prairieland Park
- 15:12 – “We would like to be part of the league and play in 2023.”
- 19:05 – Now the word is out, Simpson says his group is focused on fan engagement
- 19:45 – Simpson reveals his group has given thought to potential names and team colours but “we need to focus squarely on getting a stadium developed and creating something Saskatoon can be proud of.”
- 24:52 – Marty & Charlie react to the news: “There’s still a lot of work we can expect to see in the coming weeks.”
- 27:24 – Marty is disappointed at the CanChamp announcement: “It’s disappointing. But deep down, I know everyone is here for the long haul.”
- 30:43 – Canada Olympic squad reaction: Did the CPL get snubbed? Not so fast.
- 34:20 – Charlie and Marty cap off the big week in CPL with a salary cap chat
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