Ottawa, Ontario \u0096 The Canadian Soccer Association, in partnership with IMG Canada, announced today the appointment of Chris Collie as the Managing Director of Soccer Canada Properties, the marketing arm responsible for the Association’s television distribution, corporate partnerships and promotional exposure.
\u200bCollie joins Soccer Canada Properties after a 13-year career in strategic marketing and promotions with Canadian Tire, and brings with him an extensive background in soccer gained with the University of Toronto varsity soccer team (1986-90), where he was a member of the school’s only national championship team and captain in his final year. Collie graduated from U of T with a degree in commerce and economics in 1990. In addition to his soccer experience at the university level, Collie played at both the National Soccer League youth and senior levels.
\u200b\u0093Soccer’s popularity in Canada continues to soar and we’re excited about the opportunities in front of us to promote the game, both to the fans and to corporate Canada\u0094 said Canadian Soccer Association Chief Operating Officer Kevan Pipe. \u0093The addition of Chris, with his marketing talents and passion for soccer, certainly strengthens our team.\u0094
\u200bSoccer Canada enjoys a number of strong promotional partnerships, which recently included the addition of CIBC as the Association’s premier sponsor. The financial institution supports many aspects of the CSA and its national team and grass-roots programs, including the Tide Mini Soccer Festivals, which continues to be the largest and most effective national grassroots program in Canadian sport with over 200,000 participating players last year.
\u200b\u0093I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to contribute to the growth of the sport I love,\u0094 said Chris Collie, who was an active member of a volunteer committee that planned and developed a new community sports field complex for the Town of Ajax. \u0093Many people wait a lifetime for a chance to apply their professional background to something they are passionate about personally. Soccer Canada, and its properties, are poised to take the sport to the next level in Canada and I look forward to being a part of it.\u0094
\u200bDuring Collie’s 13-year career with Canadian Tire, he was responsible for the development of consumer goods sales and marketing strategies for the retail chain’s 450 stores across the country.
\u200b“Soccer’s importance to the Canadian sports landscape continues to grow at an incredible rate, and the corporate community has turned to soccer as a valuable addition to their communications mix,\u0094 said Kevin Albrecht, Senior Vice President of IMG Canada. “Soccer Canada Properties is at the forefront of the soccer revolution in this country and will continue to provide marketers with leading edge sponsorship programs that directly impact soccer players and their parents.