A descriptive analysis of sport nationalism, digital media, and fandom to launch the Canadian Premier League
Abstract
In April 2019, the Canadian Premier League (CPL), a professional domestic soccer league, launched in Canada, making it the first top-tier league in North America to begin operations in the modern digital era. The CPL represents a unique and timely opportunity to examine how a new professional sports league cultivates ties with fan-consumers via sport nationalism, digital media, and fandom. As yet, there are very few academic works on the CPL, and there is also a paucity of scholarly publications on the launch of new professional sports leagues in the 21st century. For this study, two types of qualitative data were collected: semi-structured interviews with league officials and voices on the Canadian soccer scene; and various primary and secondary sources, most often news articles, along with works on sports sociology and marketing. Despite soccer’s status as the “global game,” Canadian sport nationalism has historically revolved around hockey. While professional soccer leagues in Canada have largely failed in the past, several key factors—changing national demographics, high rates of youth participation in soccer, and groups of willing investors—have altered the landscape, contributing to the formation of the CPL. As traditional television and sports viewing shifts towards streaming providers, the CPL’s presence on OneSoccer, a digital platform, endows it with increased authenticity and a more loyal following, particularly as the league is targeting younger “digital natives.” Supporters’ groups, which enrich fan culture and engagement, are also a key ingredient of the upstart league. The CPL is being promoted as an authentic Canadian product, as seen with team names reflecting local or regional identities and Canadian player quotas that enhance the league’s national bone fides on the pitch.