Paul Beirne: A new leaf for Canadian Soccer
Paul Beirne is a serial builder of Canadian sports organisations.
He was employee #13 at the Toronto Raptors basketball team, #1 at current MLS champions Toronto FC and was also first through the door at the Candian Premier League.
The CPL will launch in April 2019 with Beirne as President. We talk about the compelling metrics behind the League’s formation, the role fans are playing in building it from the ground up, the specific Canadian solutions they are searching for and the content strategy they’ll need to tell their story
FULL TOPIC LIST
1:45 The basics of the League – timespan, number of teams, launch details
2:50 Why start the Canadian Premier League now? GDP, participation rates, MLS clubs. Completing the pyramid for Canada
4.45 The comparisons with and lessons from MLS. Competing with the CFL.
6:15 How the Government’s recent immigration policy is working for the CPL
6:44 The lessons Paul from Toronto FC and why digital/social was crucial
8.35 The importance of supporters groups ‘poking’ local politicians. The Mississauger story
11.35 The needs: money, infrastructure. And the unique Canadian challenges
13:20 The criteria that successful bids will need
14.37 Promotion/relegation in North America soccer!
16:22 The level of media interest and content strategy
18:03 TV deals – the hybrid the CPL will need
19:28 Helping the new CPL with content creation.
20:17 How YouTube opened up the soccer globe. Why Toronto has had access to more live football and any city in Europe
22:01 The importance of the FIFA game - "a great Canadian export”
22:31 Their approach to eSports
23:09 The potential boost of the World Cup coming to North America in 2026. Why it is easier for Canada to qualify now
25.52 Having a quota of young Canadian players in each squad
26.41 Starting a women’s league
27:51 Compressing the season for the weather, travel issues and having mosquitos “as big as your head”
30:27 His biggest worry about the CPL
31:24 Paul’s personal legacy for starting Canadian sports franchises
