Stephanie Labbe remembers arriving at a new club abroad and having to start from the ground up in building a home.
香蕉视频直播淪o many times when I was an athlete and I was playing in Sweden or in the U.S. or France, you香蕉视频直播檙e showing up to this apartment that doesn香蕉视频直播檛 really feel like home,香蕉视频直播� said the former Canadian international goalkeeper who is now sporting director of the Northern Super League香蕉视频直播檚 Vancouver Rise. 香蕉视频直播淚t feels like you香蕉视频直播檙e living in someone else香蕉视频直播檚 space.香蕉视频直播�
Canadian Tire is giving players in the new NSL a helping hand on that score.
With a multi-year, multimillion-dollar partnership announced Wednesday, the company will support players as they settle into their new environments with 香蕉视频直播渇unding and resources.香蕉视频直播�
The Home Field Advantage program will also help the NSL香蕉视频直播檚 six clubs 香蕉视频直播渙ptimize facilities as they prepare for the season ahead.香蕉视频直播�
Canadian Tire was one of the first corporations to jump on board when former Canadian international Diana Matheson and business partner Thomas Gilbert announced Project 8, the precursor to the new league that is set to kick off in April.
The new sponsorship deal was announced at an NSL panel discussion Wednesday, part of a Sports Marketing Canada Council event. It will also see Canadian Tire displayed at stadiums and on broadcasts with the company香蕉视频直播檚 red triangle logo displayed on the left sleeve of every club jersey.
The panel featured Labbe, Helena Ruken (AFC Toronto), Isabele Chevalier (Montreal Roses), Gilbert (Ottawa Rapid), Courtney Sherlock (Halifax Tide) and Deanna Zumwalt (Calgary Wild) with Canadian Tire香蕉视频直播檚 Ashley Curran, Canadian Tire香蕉视频直播檚 associate vice-president, community Impact and sport partnerships, serving as moderator.
香蕉视频直播淚 would say everybody that香蕉视频直播檚 involved really believes this is about elevating a generation of female leaders on and off the pitch,香蕉视频直播� Zumwalt told the audience. 香蕉视频直播淲e know that one per cent may go on to play pro soccer but that other 99 per cent, if we can draw them into sport, keep them involved in sport, they go on to incredible things. We know that.香蕉视频直播�
For Labbe, the NSL will also offer Canadian players a chance to build their own brand at home. In the past, the women had to leave Canada to find a pro team, thus missing out on domestic sponsorship deals.
香蕉视频直播淥ne of the hardest things I had as an athlete was to really try to build those partnerships,香蕉视频直播� she said in an interview. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 one thing to be here once a year do a photo shoot and 香蕉视频直播楬urray this is awesome.香蕉视频直播� But to actually build something over time and have brands be able to actually access these athletes consistently, as well as for these athletes to build that relationship and connection to community, it香蕉视频直播檚 a fantastic experience for them. And they are so excited for that opportunity香蕉视频直播�
And Labbe suggested that Canada could actually benefit from being one of the last of the women香蕉视频直播檚 elite soccer powers to create a domestic league, having learned from others.
香蕉视频直播淲e get to start in a much better place and build a much better foundation so that we can grow and catch up to them in a much faster way,香蕉视频直播� she told the audience. 香蕉视频直播淎nd hopefully avoid a lot of the mistakes that they made over the years.香蕉视频直播�
The NSL and team officials were in town for two days of separate meetings, marking the first the that club owners, presidents and sporting directors have come together in advance of the six-team circuit香蕉视频直播檚 startup.
The agenda includes finalizing league competition rules, prioritizing safe-sport initiatives and reviewing the league香蕉视频直播檚 2025 business plan.
The closed meetings will include an address by Kevin Blue, Canada Soccer香蕉视频直播檚 chief executive officer and general secretary, as well as a visit to FIFA香蕉视频直播檚 2026 World Cup office in Toronto on Thursday to get an update on tournament plans.
Wednesday香蕉视频直播檚 panel came 132 days before the league香蕉视频直播檚 kickoff, said NSL president Christina Litz.
The meetings include Portugal香蕉视频直播檚 Jose Maria Celestino da Costa, the NSL香蕉视频直播檚 head of soccer operations who landed in Canada this week. He arrives from Estoril Praia, a men香蕉视频直播檚 top-tier club in Portugal, and the Portuguese Soccer Federation, helping establish the women香蕉视频直播檚 league there.
New board chair Mark Cohon, who served as CFL commissioner from 2007 to January 2015, is also on hand.
