Predicting Ottawa Rapid FC Inaugural Season Partners
The Canadian women’s sports market is experiencing unprecedented growth. Following the remarkable inaugural season of the PWHL and the announcement of a WNBA expansion team in Toronto for 2026, the excitement continues to build with the introduction of the country’s first professional women’s soccer league. Two weeks ago, Ottawa became part of this momentum by officially unveiling its Northern Super League team, Ottawa Rapid FC , one of six founding members set to compete in the NSL’s debut season.
This report will focus on Ottawa Rapid FC to better understand the Ottawa sports market and identify potential partnerships for the team's inaugural season. As Ottawa’s first professional women’s soccer club, Ottawa Rapid FC will make its debut in April 2025, with home games held at the 24,000-capacity TD Place Stadium in Lansdowne Park. While official partners have yet to be announced, analyzing the Ottawa sports landscape and the broader women’s sports sector will be crucial in identifying the ideal partners for this historic season.
Ottawa Professional Sports Market Overview
The Ottawa professional sports market has long been a central hub for sports in Ontario, though it has often been overshadowed by the larger Toronto market. Currently, Ottawa is home to five professional sports teams: the Ottawa Senators of the NHL, the Ottawa Redblacks of the CFL, Atlético Ottawa of the CPL, the Ottawa BlackJacks of the CEBL, and PWHL Ottawa of the PWHL. Analyzing the partnerships of these teams offers valuable insights into the brands active in the Ottawa sports market.
Building on the previous analysis of Halifax Tides FC, several recommendations were made to refine our understanding of potential partners that could drive financial growth. To focus on more lucrative opportunities, I have refined the dataset by excluding categories such as Soft Drinks, Media, Snacks, Local Restaurants & Event Spaces, and Apparel & Accessories, as these typically have smaller budgets or may even cost the team money. With these categories removed, we gain a clearer view of the partnership landscape among Ottawa’s five professional sports teams.
The data reveals a total of 497 partnerships across these teams, with 436 unique brands involved. The Ottawa Senators lead the market with 290 partnerships, followed by the Ottawa Redblacks with 127, Atlético Ottawa with 41, the Ottawa BlackJacks with 35, and PWHL Ottawa with 4. GoodLife Fitness emerges as the market leader, holding partnerships with four of the five teams. Additionally, five brands have three partnerships each, while 18 brands are partnered with two teams.
The largest partner categories in the market are Construction & Industrial (10.5%), Alcohol (10.1%), and Auto (9.5%). Within these, the leading subcategories are Dealerships (3.2%), Beer (2.6%), and Betting & Daily Fantasy (2.2%). This refined dataset provides a comprehensive view of the Ottawa sports market landscape, which will be crucial for Ottawa Rapid FC as they develop their partnership strategy.
Breakdown of NWSL Partner Market
To gain a better understanding of the women's soccer market in North America and the brands interacting with the sport, we examined the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The NWSL is the top women's soccer league in the United States, comprising 14 teams across the country. Our investigation of these teams revealed a total of 1,144 partnerships with 904 unique brands.
The analysis shows that the largest categories of NWSL partnerships include Alcohol Beverages (14.2%), Apparel & Accessories (8.7%), and Hotel, Restaurant, and Leisure (7.3%). The leading subcategories are Athletic & Footwear (5.2%), Bars, Breweries & Wineries (2.7%), and Restaurants & Event Spaces (2.7%).
Although the American brands and markets in the NWSL differ from those in the Northern Super League (NSL) and Ottawa Rapid FC, this analysis provides valuable insights into the types of brands and categories actively involved in women's professional soccer. This understanding can guide the Rapid in identifying potential partners and developing their partnership strategy.
Breakdown of PWHL Partner Market
Another reference point for potential partners of a women’s professional sports team in Canada is the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). As the top professional women’s hockey league in North America, the PWHL currently has three teams in Canada. Including both league partners and those of the three Canadian teams, there are a total of 111 partnerships.
The founding partners of the league include Canadian Tire, AIRSUPRA, and Scotiabank. The partners with the most significant presence across the league and its teams are Hyundai and Pizza Pizza with four partnerships each, and Rheem and UPS with three partnerships each. The largest partner categories in the league are Leisure and Recreation (10.8%), Media (10.8%), and Quick Service Restaurants (9.9%). The leading subcategories are Athletic Equipment (8.1%), TV/Streaming Networks (7.2%), and Athletic Footwear (5.4%).
This partnership information provides valuable insights into what year-one success might look like for professional women's sports in Canada and highlights key brands already involved in women’s professional sports. This data can guide the Ottawa Rapid FC in identifying and securing potential partners.
Partner Recommendations Year 1
With the research conducted in key markets and leagues, we have a solid foundation to identify potential partners for the Ottawa Rapid FC inaugural season. By analyzing the Ottawa Professional Sports Market, NWSL, and PWHL, we can make informed predictions about the brands likely to be involved. These potential partners will be categorized into three groups:
- NSL Founding Partners
- PWHL Leading Partners
- Ottawa Sports Leaders
NSL Founding Partners
The league has five key founding partners that have been involved since the concept of a professional sports league was announced in 2023. Expect these partners to be heavily involved in the Tides' inaugural season.
PWHL Leading Partners
The leading PWHL partners offer valuable insights into successful partnerships within the women's sports industry in Canada. This section includes partners with two or more active partnerships across the league and the three Canadian teams, as well as brands that primarily focus on female audiences.
Ottawa Sports Leaders
Another Key Area addressed in our research is the Ottawa sports partnership market. We have identified brands with two or more active partnerships as potential partners for the Rapid in the upcoming season.
Conclusion
Ottawa Rapid FC enters the Ottawa sports market with high anticipation from fans, and it will be soon that brands follow suit. It will be exciting to see how the team prepares on the field and builds its partnership portfolio leading up to the kickoff in April next year. Additionally, I look forward to seeing the Rapid foster positive change within the community and contribute to a highly successful inaugural season for the NSL.
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