BMO Becomes Official Bank of the Canadian Soccer Association

The Canadian Soccer Association and BMO Financial Group announced a new partnership today, making BMO the Official Bank of the CSA and a Primary Partner. The announcement was made at a news conference at BMO Field, Canada’s National Soccer Stadium in Toronto, during preparations for the friendly match between the U-20 national teams of Canada and Argentina on Friday evening.

“Soccer is hugely popular, particularly among many of Canada’s cultural communities,” said Frank Techar, President and Chief Executive Officer, Personal and Commercial Banking Canada, BMO Financial Group. “We want to inspire soccer involvement at all levels in Canada, especially in the grassroots. Our new relationship with the CSA represents a great opportunity for us to deepen our relationships with customers and communities right across the country.”

Techar noted that soccer in Canada is expected to grow in participation and fan base by 44 per cent over the next 10 years. “BMO is thrilled to be a part of the excitement of the world’s most popular sport.”

As part of the new partnership, BMO now becomes the title sponsor of the BMO National Championships, which for the first time become a national program of Club Championships and All-Star events. The BMO National Championships will include events for Under 14, Under 16 and Under 18 boys and girls, in addition to Senior Men’s and Senior Women’s championships. BMO also becomes a Primary Partner for all National Teams, and a presenting partner of selected Youth Men’s and Women’s National Teams.

BMO will also be a supporting sponsor of the CSA’s “mini-soccer festivals” – travelling soccer events that visit hundreds of communities across the country every year. The BMO First Kicks Activity Zone will be an important part of the soccer festivals, focusing on the fundamentals of the sport.

BMO’s support of grassroots soccer will include the sponsorship of a minimum 150 youth soccer teams across Canada. In addition to providing jerseys for children on these teams, local BMO branches will be matched up with a team in its community, and BMO will provide a “soccer kit” to each team’s Head Coach containing BMO-branded whistle lanyards, erasable white boards, pylons, and gifts for each player.

“We are very proud to have BMO as our newest partner,” said Canadian Soccer Association president Colin Linford. “They will not only help grow the game at a grassroots level, but they will also help to deliver prime exposure to our national teams and players.”

“This is the start of what will be an important strategic Partnership for the CSA,” said Chris Collie, Managing Director, Soccer Canada Properties. “BMO Financial Group has solidified its position as the leader in the soccer market place. The introduction of the CSA Partnership now represents a solid base, for a fully integrated national platform. With the help from tens of thousands of BMO employees from coast to coast, the CSA has a new Partner to help communicate and promote its activities, and help engage more and more Canadians, on both the local and national levels.“