The drone spying scandal enveloping Canadian soccer hasn’t yet cost the team any sponsors — but affiliated companies are becoming increasingly concerned.
While most wouldn’t comment on the record, those who did say they’re keeping a close eye on the scandal, which was sparked by the arrest of a Canadian women’s team staff member at the Paris Olympics for spying on a an opponent’s practice.
“All of us … are deeply concerned about these allegations, and … we have expressed those concerns directly to the leadership team at Canada Soccer,” said Bob Park, chief brand officer at GE Appliances Canada, listed on the association’s website as one of the organization’s partners.
“We are are fierce supporters of the beautiful game in Canada, and to the spirit of what makes international competition so powerful: equity, fairness and sportsmanship.”
An executive at another sponsor expressed similar sentiments.
“Canada Soccer as an organization must work to ensure that such methods do not happen and that the sport is better regulated — especially as it relates to Canada Soccer’s National Teams. We do not condone this practice. It is unacceptable,” said Celeste Blackmore, national director of corporate partnerships at StorageVault Canada, the parent company of Access Storage, another sponsor.
Blackmore also gave a vote of confidence to new Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue, who took over in March.
“Given our interactions … since he became the head of Canada Soccer, we have faith in him and the new leadership team,” Blackmore added.
Canada Soccer, the sport’s governing body in the country, has announced it will have an independent investigation into the use of drones by Canadian national teams, including the defending Olympic champion senior women’s team, which has advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinals despite being docked six points in the standings.
Head coach Bev Priestman was also sent home and suspended for a year by FIFA, the sport’s international governing body, while an assistant coach and another staff member were also sent home.
An appeal by the Canadian Olympic Committee to the Court of Arbitration for Sport was denied. Internal Canada Soccer emails released by the CAS as part of its ruling showed Priestman believed that drones had also been used by Canada’s senior men’s team.
Canada Soccer told FIFA that it believed the use of drones was initiated by Priestman’s predecessor John Herdman, who guided the men’s team to the World Cup after leaving his role with the women’s squad. Herdman is now head coach at Toronto FC.
Canada Soccer declined to comment for this article, citing the independent investigation.
Canada Soccer Business — which signed a 10-year deal for Canada Soccer’s sponsorship and TV rights in 2018 in exchange for a guaranteed annual payment of up to $4 million — said it’s focused on supporting the women’s team at the Olympics.
“We applaud the new leadership at Canada Soccer for taking swift action in commissioning an independent review, which will hold those responsible for these unacceptable acts accountable and will put safeguards in place to ensure such actions never happen again,” Canada Soccer Business said in an email.
A handful of sponsorship contracts signed before 2018 see revenue going directly to Canada Soccer.
Other sponsors listed on Canada Soccer’s website — including corporate and financial heavyweights like Gatorade, Carlsberg, CIBC and Visa, either declined to comment or didn’t respond to requests for comment.
That’s not a big shock, said marketing veteran Ken Wong.
“I think it goes without saying that they’re having serious conversations behind closed doors,” said Wong, a professor at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business. “If I’m a company, and I’ve invested in a team or organization, all I’m saying is ‘be popular, and don’t disgrace me.’ ”
Still, said Wong, even as the scandal has grown, the resilience of the players on the women’s team has meant sponsors likely still see some benefit from continuing to be involved.
“I think the public’s affection is with the players,” said Wong. “So ultimately, I think this is going to come out as a celebration of their resilience, and any brand that wants to be connected with that kind of fortitude or is going to be all over this.”
And that’s exactly what they’re doing, said StorageVault’s Blackmore.
“We are cheering loudly for the players, as they compete in the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games. We are all witness to their amazing skill, resilience, sacrifice and hard work … qualities of true champions.”
And that glow only increases the further the team advances, Wong said.
“There’s no question that winning insulates them from some blowback,” said Wong. “if they get a medal, they’ll be heroines.”
