CSA Proposes Fee Increases

Ottawa, Ontario – The Canadian Soccer Association today announced that it has completed its preliminary financial analysis of the “Blueprint for Success” document it released last week. As a result of its findings, the CSA will be proposing to its Finance Committee, and then the membership at its Annual General Meeting in Alliston, Ontario on June 10, a series of proposed player fee increases over the next three years to fund the program in its entirety.
With an annual budget forecast to reach $10 million as of 2001, the CSA is proposing to its membership annual player fees of $5.25 in 2001, $6.25 in 2002 and $7.00 in 2003. Current player fees in 2000 gross $3.25 per player for each of the 700,000 players registered across the country.
“I am confident that with these increases, combined with a phased-in approach of our Blueprint over the next three years, we will be able to substantially achieve all the goals and objectives as set out in the technical plan,” stated CSA Director; Finance Adrian Newman. “In the past, player fees have represented less than one quarter of our total revenues and we are now trying to adjust this to a more realistic level in order to give our teams and players a better chance to achieve success. At the same time a three-year plan allows the Provinces to plan their own finances with more certainty than under the current system”
The Blueprint for Success, released last week, calls for extra expenditures of $2.7 million annually beginning next year in technical programming areas of the Association, particularly in National Youth Development Teams. It stems from research led by Technical Director Holger Osieck into the future of the programs of the CSA and what is required in order to maximize the potential for success.
“If we are able to achieve these fee increases at our Annual Meeting next month, by 2003, we will be generating an extra $3 million which will not only fully fund this plan but also help other general program areas of the CSA as well,” concluded Newman. “These fee increases and associated budgets will be sent out to our members next week following review by our Finance Committee this coming weekend. We look forward to our AGM and to partnering with our members in years to come in order to achieve further success on the heels of the Gold Cup victory.”