NSL News: Ottawa and Vancouver brands unveiled, Season tickets & more
What a treat of a month August was in terms of NSL announcements. After going months with no info at all, it was awesome to see two more teams unveil their brands. First, Ottawa Rapid FC introduced themselves to their community at TD Place, the stadium they’ll call home in 2025. Their sleek logo features a Peregrine Falcon, the world’s fastest animal, in an attack position. The negative space between the wings is a nod to Ottawa’s rivers, while the circular badge and concentric circles highlight the O in Ottawa. The shades of blue refer to water and sky while the orange accent is a reference to the Centennial flame. All in all, fans were excited about the branding and to finally get some information about the club which will be led by Tomas Gilbert (CEO), Kristina Kiss (Technical Director), Heidi Bloomfield (Sporting Director), and Stephanie Spruston (COO).
Vancouver followed suit at the end of the month with probably the coolest launch event so far. The who’s who of Canadian soccer attended the event hosted by TSN’s Kate Beirness. As previously noted, the Whitecaps branding was off the table due to issues with MLS, but perhaps that would have been the case regardless given the controversial past of the women’s Whitecaps program. The new branding did not disappoint. Welcome to the Vancouver Rise FC era. There are subtle similarities with the Whitecaps logo, namely the mountain peaks, but it is more distinct than initially anticipated. The teal, black, and gold colourway looks sleek and is importantly, different from other club logos which have been red and blue. Overall, fans reacted positively and they got even more excited after Christine Sinclair teased an upcoming announcement regarding her involvement with Rise FC.
Following those exciting announcements, in mid-September, clubs across the league started taking $50 ticket deposits to secure seasons seats for the inaugural season. As has been the case, Halifax Tides were first to announce their ticket deposit campaign, but the other clubs followed suit and started upping the ante. The first Vancouver fans are eligible to some free merch, AFC Toronto will give away free seasons tickets to a lucky winner, but Ottawa took the cake, offering a free, signed match-worn jersey to the first 500 seasons seats holders. It’s all starting to feel very real now. Here’s what Diana Matheson had to say about the momentous occasion:
“The support we’ve received from fans across the country has been nothing short of overwhelming. We’re excited to see the Northern Super League become a reality, and this ticket deposit campaign is the first step in giving fans the opportunity to be part of history. This is more than just a chance to purchase tickets; it’s a chance to see professional women’s soccer change the face of sport in Canada. Now is the time to be where it all begins”
In other news, Montreal announced their training facility and head coach. Robert Rositoiu has been tasked with leading the team in their inaugural season. The former AS Blainville coach is highly regarded and won the women’s interprovincial championship in 2022. He’ll work with his squad in Laval’s Centre Sportif Bois-de-Boulogne, which will undergo renovations.
Last, but certainly not least, the NSL leadership team continues to take shape. Beyond President Christina Litz, the team now consists of a VP of Partnerships, Brand and Content, Finance and Operations and Head of Soccer Operations. Marianne Brooks, Kelly Shouldice, Joyce Sou, and Jose Maria Celestino da Costa will take up those roles, respectively. Brooks has spent significant time with Canucks S&E. Shouldice comes from True North S&E, and was with the CFL and Corus Media prior. Sou was promoted from her previous role with Project 8. Da Costa hails from Portugal where he worked with the federation to grow Liga BPI.