Canadian Premier League generates millions for P.E.I., officials say

The P.E.I. government says a $1.5 million investment to bring the Canadian Premier League to the Island last year paid off with millions of dollars in direct and indirect benefits.

The league's eight teams played a shortened soccer season last summer in what was dubbed the Island Games.

About 300 players and staff were sequestered at the Delta Prince Edward in Charlottetown. Games were held at UPEI but without any fans because of the COVID-19 restrictions put in place.

Economic Growth, Tourism and Culture Minister Matthew MacKay says the games had a huge economic spinoff for the province.

"We're looking long-term," MacKay said in an interview.

"We've got a tourism product here that has been a success over the years but has been impacted desperately with COVID so we need to have a long-term plan, we needed to do whatever we can now and in the future to make sure we get our tourism industry back and this was a part of it."

7,000 room nights

CBC News requested a breakdown of the economic impact of the games.

The province said that economic impact, which was calculated by an independent third party, totalled $11.75 million.

In a statement, officials said the province benefited from $5.1 million in direct spending, including 7,000 room nights at the Delta Prince Edward. The league booked the entire hotel with each team having one floor.

The hotel brought in 85 staff for an eight-week period during the games.

In addition, the province points to food and beverage sales at local restaurants delivered to players at the hotel, rental fees for UPEI's turf field and Stratford's practice field, Coach Atlantic for busing, car rentals, staffing for Island EMS's paramedics who were on-site during the games as well as physiotherapists, security personneland cleaning staff.

The province saidit benefited from another $5.6 million in what it describedas "earned media."

That includes the broadcast of 14 games on CBC Sports, 12 games on Fox Soccer Plus, 18 games on Fox Sports 2, five games on CHCH Ontario and 35 games that were broadcast online on One Soccer.

The province said there were four billion online impressions across the platforms showing the games, which means people may have seen P.E.I. tourism advertisements.

Officials didn't provide the number of visitors it got to its tourism website.

'I don't necessarily know if they are accurate'

Provincial officials say the province earned an additional million dollars in tourism branding, including logos on the field, mentions during the soccer broadcasts as well as commercials during the live sports events.

Hannah Bell, the Opposition critic for economic growth, said she believes there was more risk than reward. She said the players were sequestered and not able to get out in the community and fans were not allowed to watch the games.

"The numbers are disappointing for the cost of the investment and I don't necessarily know if they are accurate," said the Green MLA.

"Without some more details I'm pretty suspicious of an earned media of that value because frankly I don't know of anybody I know, actually even saw where these games were broadcast let alone what channel they were on."

MacKay said he'd like to see the Canadian Premier League return to the Island when the pandemic is over. He said the province has had some initial discussions with the league.

"I'll be the first to admit I was nervous, I was probably more nervous than anybody," said MacKay.

"I'd love to at least get a couple of games here as well that we can let Islanders get out to see. I think we owe them that for sure. Hopefully, we can work towards that in the future."

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