fishman Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Canadian Soccer Association announces partnership with Winners OTTAWA (ONTARIO) - The Canadian Soccer Association and Winners have announced a new partnership that will benefit both minor soccer in Canada as well as the women's national-team programs. The multi-year partnership will allow Winners to help grow the game of soccer at the grassroots level while also act as a title sponsor for Canada's women's senior team and women's youth (U-20) team. Winners, with the help of its Employee Teams across the country, will play a large role in promoting this program. Through these efforts, Canadians will have the chance to identify with the individual players making the women's programs one of the best in the world. "Winners is proud to partner with the Canadian Soccer Association at both the national and community level," says Michael MacMillan, President, Winners Merchants International. "This sponsorship will allow us the opportunity to build even stronger relationships in the communities we serve across the country, while inspiring more young Canadians to experience the joys and benefits soccer has to offer." One of the highlights to the partnership is the Little Winners Sharp Shooters program. This program, which will roll out at Winners stores across Canada, will help recognize kids that participate in the sport at the local level. Another highlight is the Soccer Moms and Dads program, recognising local parents and their efforts to keep kids active through soccer. By 2010, Winners will be sponsoring 225 grassroots soccer teams across Canada (providing them with uniforms). The Canadian Soccer Association, meanwhile, will welcome Little Winners youth escorts to accompany the team captains at home international matches. "This is a great day for women's soccer in Canada," says John Billingsley, acting Chief Operating Officer, Canadian Soccer Association. "Winners will be providing integral support from the ground up, from the minor soccer players across the country to the senior teams players that represent Canada at home and abroad." As the title sponsor for Canada's women's senior team, Winners will play an important role in Canada's road to the Beijing Summer Olympics in 2008. Canada's senior team, widely considered as one of the top-two teams in the CONCACAF region, are expected to qualify for their first Olympic Women's Football Tournament. As the title sponsor for Canada's women's youth team, Winners will help Canada in its endeavor to qualify for a fourth-straight FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. The 2008 tournament takes place in Chile. The team's best finish - and the country's best-finish ever at a FIFA tournament - was at the initial tournament in 2002 when, as hosts, they finished second behind the United States. Overall, Canada's current women's national program is ranked ninth in the world since the most recent FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Rankings are released in June. The senior side is currently in Asia in their final preparations for the FIFA Women's World Cup China 2007. At the last FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003, Canada finished in fourth place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Every little bit helps I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadasBest Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Richard Every little bit helps I guess. I seriously hope there is some cash involved in this and not just uniforms for "grassroots soccer teams" by 2010. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoachRich Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Doubtful as someone from the WNT would have been there. Seems funny the CSA would make an announcement like this when the WNT is overseas. Besides the CSA has had years to get the WNT a sponsor based on their results of being in every WWC & all their other success but the CSA haven't bothered to find them any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 You can be sure that if there was real cash involved other than uniforms for 225 youth teams by 2010 (which in itself is not insignificant) it would have been mentioned in the press release. I think this had more to do with girls soccer than the WNT though. The CSA needs all the good press it can get at the moment, especially where the WNT is concerned, hence the WNT spin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Boy Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Richard The CSA needs all the good press it can get at the moment, This just sums it up really... Although from my perspective CSA and Winners has a bit of a South Park ring to it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 quote: Although from my perspective CSA and Winners has a bit of a South Park ring to it... Best LOL of the week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishman Posted August 30, 2007 Author Share Posted August 30, 2007 I was waiting for someone to tie into the whole CSA / Winners thing. It is indeed irony at its thickest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Spiers Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 quote:Originally posted by CoachRich Besides the CSA has had years to get the WNT a sponsor based on their results of being in every WWC & all their other success but the CSA haven't bothered to find them any. I believe Whirlpool was a sponsor of the Women's National Team a few years ago. However, not sure how long they remained as sponsors or why they didn't renew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoachRich Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Yes good spin. I'm sure there's lots of sponsors out there for the WNT but CSA probably says we can not be program specific w/ sponsor $ when we are at least $2M in the red each year...........South Park ring #2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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