Women’s sport is on the rise. After hockey training, Montreal will have its professional soccer team next spring.
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The instigator of the new Canadian professional women’s soccer league, double Olympic medalist Diana Matheson, has cherished this project for several years now, but she intends, like her partners, to ride the wave of the Professional Soccer League. women’s hockey (LPHF).
“It’s time for women and women’s sport to have their place in the same way as men. It’s a question of equity, of inclusion. We’re there!” exclaimed businesswoman Isabèle Chevalier, founder of the Montreal club with Jean-François Crevier.
“We are sending the clear message that we are starting a collective movement, a social movement. With the LPHF which has started something, we have the opportunity to create the category of women’s sport in Montreal which was non-existent eight months ago,” added the president of the Crevier Group during an interview with The newspaperMonday, at the Hôtel Le Germain, downtown.
He was the first to become interested in the project. After reading an article, he contacted Ms. Matheson, then Ms. Chevalier, who was enthusiastic from the start.
“I said: ‘sick, that’s really a good idea!’” said the woman who made herself known with the company Bio-K+ and the show In the eye of the dragon. What came to me was really this sport, feminine, equality, community side.”
Ms. Chevalier does not want to miss this opportunity, recalling that soccer is played by a million Canadians, 40% of whom are women, compared to 500,000 for hockey.
A calculated risk
The key question is whether this circuit made up of six teams, five of which are known (Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Halifax and Montreal) will be financially viable.
“When you start something, there is always a risk. It’s a calculated risk because we have a solid business model,” insisted Mr. Crevier, always looking for new investors.
“People see the shift we are taking. The enthusiasm and the sponsors are there. We’re going there and it’s going to work,” predicted Ms. Chevalier.
Diana Matheson raises one arm in the air to celebrate her winning goal against France in the bronze medal match at the London 2012 Olympic Games. AFP
Forget prejudices
For Ms Matheson, professional sport is a “long-term business”. The new circuit and its clubs “will grow and increase in value over the coming decades.”
“We try not to set limits for ourselves based on our perceptions or our prejudices. In the past, we assumed that no one would watch women’s sport, so we didn’t invest, we didn’t put money into marketing, into television and then we complained that no one was interested in it. mentioned the author of the winning goal during the bronze final at the London Games in 2012.
Last summer, the Women’s Soccer World Cup attracted nearly 2 million spectators in Australia and New Zealand. The event generated more than $570 million.
The Canadian professional women’s soccer league in brief
6 formations (Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Halifax, Montreal and a city to be revealed on Tuesday)
In between 20 and 25 players per club, including 7 foreigners
Season between April and November
25 matches per team
4 clubs will participate in series (semi-finals and final)
Salary ceiling at 1,5 million $
Minimum salary of 50 000 $
2024-05-28 08:00:00
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