A New Canadian Soccer League

Sponsors and Marketing

  Perhaps the most crucial error made by all soccer leagues in Canada (including especially the A-League) is the woeful under capitalisation and therefore nonexistence of a nationwide marketing strategy.
  While I do not generally like the idea of a single-entity ownership structure I do believe that the marketing of the league as a whole should be controlled by the league head office. Dollars spent on a national basis will actually be more effective than the same dollars spent only locally. This is because the league needs to jump feet first into the national consciousness for long term survivability.
  The following are snippets or thoughts on various aspects of sponsors and marketing:

Sponsors

  Major sponsors, the businesses that get their name on the shirt fronts, should be recruited at a national level. This will emphasise the national scope of the league and the television exposure of sponsors on a Canada-wide level. Especially attractive would be companies whose business would be useful to the league (ie: air carriers, couriers, banks, etc.)

Television

  A crucial part of any deals to create a new league depends on access to regular cable networks. TSN and Sportsnet are not part of basic cable throughout Canada and should be considered as secondary to such an endeavor. At the very least the league should purchase a national half hour during the season on Saturday mornings and use a hip, youth oriented production to report on and promote the league. A better deal would involve air time and production facilities as a part of a sponsorship package with a national TV network. A regular game of the week on television would go a long way to making the league attractive to major sponsors.
  Teams will have to sign their TV rights over to the league as a method of control and source of revenue to support the leagues marketing and operational expenses.

Magazine

  A league-produced monthly magazine should be created to highlight the league and it's players. The alternative would be for the league to work with Inside Soccer magazine, perhaps exchanging designation as "The Official Magazine" for promotional space. In either case, a league-run website with magazine style articles and all the bells and whistles allows for a totally league-controlled broadcasting source.

Attendance

  The idea that 15-20,000 people on average will come out to see games in this league is ridiculous. MLS is averaging app. 15,000 per game. They have bigger markets and more money so our estimates should be scaled back (at least initially). Even English Premier League teams (except the top 5-6) average no better than 20,000 per game so such predictions are wildly unrealistic in the near future.

Stadiums

  Wherever possible a team should control or even own their stadium. Revenue from concessions and other events are the difference between making money and seas of red ink. This has been shown the case in the MLS and the A-League. Entering into long-term leases with local governments in exchange for improvements of the facilities seems a way to get the league on a solid footing quickly without having to wait for stadiums to be built from scratch.

A-League and MLS

  The A-League (at least the Canadian teams) are a threat to any new league and must be convinced to join the new league. MLS on the other hand is a potential ally (commentary) Cross border friendlies and even perhaps competitive tournaments would boost our league and might be attractive to MLS teams and the US soccer federation. Working with them will mean that Canadians who make the cut for this probably always slightly higher level league do not disappear from the Canadian fans view and become useful in promoting more games (which should add to their revenue for the teams that compete.) Meeting some of the same teams in CONCACAF Club Championships will also add respectibility and revenue to the league as a whole.