Vancouver Rise FC will begin playing in the Northern Super League (NSL) next spring when six teams kick off the inaugural season from coast to coast.
A lot needs to get done before the ball gets rolling in April. Coaches need to be hired, players signed, stadium venues need to be confirmed, and tickets need to be sold.
Rise FC Sporting Director Steph Labbe has a lot on her plate as she looks to shape the franchise before the first kick next year, and hiring an experienced head coach is at the top of her list.
“Hopefully soon,” Labbe, who is also the former Canadian national team goalkeeper, told Daily Hive at the Vancouver Rise FC launch event. “We’re deep into the process now. I’m hoping within the next month we’ll be able to announce that.”
We are not just a team, but a movement. We are Vancouver Rise FC 👊#VanRiseFC | #StrongerByNature pic.twitter.com/o4lP8Sm7R8
— Vancouver Rise FC (@VancouverRiseFC) August 27, 2024
One of the bigger questions surrounds the potential home venue for Rise FC.
Vancouver Rise FC Chief Business Officer Sinead King wants to see a stadium full of fans. That would seemingly rule out larger venues like BC Place as a possible option, but Vancouver Whitecaps FC co-owner Greg Kerfoot is also the owner of Vancouver Rise FC, meaning occasionally using the larger venue shouldn’t be too hard to coordinate.
“Having a stadium where it feels it’s full to the nines would be amazing,” King told Daily Hive. “Maybe there’ll be opportunities to play at BC Place for certain games but our heart isn’t set on being there. We want to have our own home and our own stadium.”
Rise FC would like to have a consistent fan base of over 5,000 spectators per game, and Burnaby’s Swangard Stadium with a listed capacity of 5,288 could be an option.
“Swangard is obviously an iconic stadium,” King said. “You had the 86ers there a number of years ago, the city of Burnaby is a really cool place, Swangard is beautiful. It’s certainly an area that we’re looking at playing.”
The details on the venue for Rise FC are in the final stages.
“All I can say is the venue that we pick is going to give our players and our fans a great atmosphere,” Labbe added.
The breakdown. ⤵️#VanRiseFC | #StrongerByNature pic.twitter.com/4SKh7YWfUA
— Vancouver Rise FC (@VancouverRiseFC) August 27, 2024
As the NSL moves the puzzle pieces around to get set for the launch of the first season, there is a question as to whether there is enough time to get everything completed.
Has the NSL thought about pushing the start date back from April 2025?
“There’s definitely a lot to do between now and April,” King admitted. “The Northern Super League is incredibly organized, it’s really collaborative through clubs. We all want to make sure we have a sustainable and successful league. We’re all confident we’re going to be ready for April. We’re not looking to push it back, no.”
The anticipation and excitement are building and goals have already been set for the 25-game schedule, as the NSL wants to develop and become one of the top leagues in the world.
“We have a very strong goal to be one of the top five leagues in the world,” Labbe said. “We recognize the things that have to go along with that in order to get us there.”
TSN and CBC have the broadcast rights for the Northern Super League, including the four-team playoff. Details on how many games will be shown live on television and how many games will be shown on TSN+ and/or CBC Gem are yet to be announced. All league games will also be available on NSL.ca.
Vancouver Rise FC season ticket deposits are expected to be on sale in the coming weeks.
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