Canadian Soccer Business takes back broadcast rights from Mediapro, launches legal action

Canadian Soccer Business and Mediapro, its media partner, have gone to court in a dispute that will have a major ripple effect on the sport in Canada.

Both sides are blaming each other for the breakdown. But the legal action essentially means CSB has taken back the broadcast rights to all its properties and is looking for new broadcast/media partners.

CSB, whose ownership group and board includes the Canadian Premier League owners, looks after marketing and broadcast rights for both the Canadian Premier League and Canada Soccer.

Mediapro is a Barcelona-based multimedia communications group. Mediapro Canada owns OneSoccer, the streaming service that airs both CPL and Canadian national team games.

CSB alleges Mediapro "failed to meet significant contractual obligations, including defaulting on the majority of its rights fees due for 2023 and failure to secure broader audiences for Canada's national teams, the Canadian Championship and the Canadian Premier League."

"Our decision to pursue legal action was not one we took lightly, but we felt it was necessary to protect the tremendous investments we have made to build the game in Canada," CSB said in a statement. "By taking back full control of our rights we will immediately have the opportunity to do so with new partners who have the ability to reach larger audiences."

CSB declined further comment other than the one-paragraph statement. But it is believed the money in dispute is well into the millions.

Mediapro presented a different story, pointing the finger at CSB.

"Despite the huge passion Canadians have for soccer, it has become clear that CSB has been and will be unable to fulfil its side of our commercial agreement," it said in a statement. "We have made best efforts to work with the CSB on a constructive path forward, but have come to a position where we have no choice but to seek to terminate our agreement.

"We continue to be excited by the many great things happening in Canadian soccer, but have taken this step in the interests of our global business and our many partners around the world. As this matter is now before the Ontario Superior Court, we will have no further comment."

The statement said Mediapro has invested "more than $60 million to create an ecosystem for the Canadian game and its fans, including through new production facilities and capabilities, popular online communities, and the establishment of OneSoccer, a first-of-its-kind channel dedicated to Canadian soccer.

"We believe that no entity has invested more in Canadian soccer than Mediapro."

Clearly the CSB hope is that the break with Mediapro will lead to a more satisfactory media partner and getting its product out to more viewers.

OneSoccer has had a hard time getting cable providers to open their doors to its service, although the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ruled last March that Rogers Communications had given preferential treatment to its own Sportsnet service over OneSoccer.