Valour FC, a professional men’s soccer club in Winnipeg, disclosed on Friday that it will be suspending its operations.
The club, a participant in the Canadian Premier League, expressed gratitude to its fans, players, and staff in an official statement.
It has pledged to honor all contractual commitments to players and staff until the end of the current year. The statement indicated that players with contracts extending beyond the 2025 season will either become free agents or return to their parent clubs.
According to the club, fans who have credits in their ticket accounts will receive full refunds, and the club will reach out to account holders with further information on the refund process.
“I was aware of the situation and unfortunately anticipated it. It’s truly disappointing,” remarked Rob Gale, Valour’s inaugural head coach and general manager, who was relieved of his duties in September 2021.
“Yes, I am profoundly disappointed with the developments since my departure from the organization.”
The team was under the ownership of the Winnipeg Football Club, which also operates the CFL’s Blue Bombers. Gale criticized the organization, claiming that Valour was treated as a mere “tax writeoff and an afterthought.”
Despite requests, Bombers president and CEO Wade Miller declined to provide an interview to CBC.
Gale mentioned that he and other Valour coaches had initiated programs to enhance the bond between the team and the city, including efforts to nurture local talent and develop the youth soccer system in Winnipeg.
“In the initial year, we had 11 Manitobans, establishing a strong community connection,” he highlighted, noting the positive outcomes.
“During the inaugural season, we had multiple games with crowds exceeding 10,000, and we maintained the highest average attendance with minimal debts,” Gale added.
However, post the COVID-19 period, Gale reported that the Winnipeg Football Club distanced itself from Valour, redirecting their initiatives towards the Bombers’ student projects.
“Regrettably, it became evident that many of our community development ideas were redirected to the Bombers’ programs,” Gale remarked.
“Valour seemed to have become more of an inconvenience rather than the impactful project it was envisioned to be for our community.”