Toronto, ON – (April 24, 2023) – Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) today announced it has purchased York United FC of the Canadian Premier League (CPL) from the Baldassarra family, effective immediately. The purchase comes in anticipation of transferring the club to new ownership.
York President/CEO and General Manager Angus McNab will continue in his role during the club’s transition to new ownership, overseeing its day-to-day business and football operations. McNab will now report to CSB on business operations and to the CPL League Office on soccer matters. All business and technical staff will be retained in their roles as the club continues its 2023 CPL campaign.
“We would like to thank Michael, Carlo and the entire Baldassarra family for their early belief in the CPL and the role they played in getting the League to where it is today,” said Mark Noonan, CEO, Canadian Soccer Business and Commissioner, Canadian Premier League.
“We collectively agreed it is best to find new owners for York United to help this club further blossom into what we know it can be: a world-class organization befitting of the soccer-mad community in the York Region. In the meantime, it’s business as usual.”
The Baldassarra family was part of the original ownership group that purchased the founding CPL club in 2018, ahead of the League’s inaugural season. The family became sole owners of the club in 2021.
“We have been so proud to invest in the future of Canadian soccer in recent years,” said Michael Baldassarra. “However, moving forward, we felt the club, community and its supporters would be better served by having new custodians at the helm bringing fresh energy and ideas. Our family would like to thank York’s great staff and Angus McNab for their tireless efforts through these formative years. We look forward to cheering York on as fans in the future.”
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About Canadian Soccer Business
Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) represents a suite of top-tier national assets that are central to
the sport of soccer in Canada. This includes representation for all corporate partnerships and media rights (broadcast and distribution) related to Canada Soccer’s core assets including the Men’s National Team, the Olympic Champion Women’s National Team, the Canadian Championship, along with all rights associated with the Canadian Premier League and League1 Canada.
About Canadian Premier League
The Canadian Premier League (CPL), Canada’s Tier 1 domestic men’s soccer league, is committed to its mission of providing opportunities for Canadian players to showcase their abilities on home soil and to gain prominence on the global soccer scene. A link between the amateur and professional games in the country, the CPL develops homegrown talent in support of the growth of Canadian soccer domestically and internationally. The CPL is proud to bring high-quality, professional soccer to communities from coast to coast, partnering with strong ownership groups, world-class corporate partners and passionate supporters to build a league Canadians can proudly support on and off the field. The CPL, which enters its milestone fifth season in 2023, plays in Concacaf and FIFA sanctioned competitions. For more updates and information, please visit CanPL.ca
For more information, please contact:
Laura Armstrong
Senior Director, Communications
Canadian Premier League
laura.armstrong@canpl.ca
