Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) and Mediapro have resolved legal disputes with an agreement to part ways by the end of the year.
Although no details of the settlement have been released, it is believed that Mediapro has transferred all OneSoccer online services, intellectual property, and associated rights to Timeless, Inc., owner of OneSoccer.
Previously, CSB and Mediapro were Canadian Premier League (CPL) broadcast partners for Canadian national team games via OneSoccer. However, under the settlement, Mediapro will now only provide production and technical services for OneSoccer until the end of the year.
The pair’s disagreements surfaced publicly in January, prompting CSB and Mediapro to bring the matter to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. The dispute revolved around CBS’? attempt to terminate a 10-year agreement signed in 2019 due to allegations of contract breaches.
Mark Noonan, CEO of CSB and Commissioner of the CPL, commented: “We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Mediapro in the best interest of soccer in Canada.
“With the 2026 FIFA World Cup less than two years away, this settlement will allow us to continue delivering the best Canadian soccer content to fans from coast to coast as we build toward the biggest sporting event on the planet.”
In detail, CSB filed a notice of action against Mediapro, alleging that the media company had failed to make payments and had improperly terminated its agreement covering media rights and distribution.
CSB claimed Mediapro did not meet its obligations, including failing to secure a sub-licensing deal for linear television broadcasts, which would have expanded the CPL’s audience reach.
In response, Mediapro filed a 32-page statement of claim, accusing CSB of delivering only a fraction of the required matches under the agreement. Mediapro also claimed CSB had not fulfilled promises to expand the CPL to 10 teams by 2020 and to 16 teams by 2024.
Mediapro sought damages of at least CAD$50m, court costs and confirmation of its right to terminate the contract.
Following the settlement, Scott Mitchell, Chairman of the CPL and CSB, said: “We appreciate what Mediapro has done to bring the OneSoccer service to life for the benefit of Canadian soccer fans and are excited to acquire this valuable asset. We intend to take what Mediapro started and continue building OneSoccer into the premier destination for lovers of the beautiful game throughout Canada.”
Despite the organisations settling, there has still been no resolution as to who will produce Canadian soccer content after Mediapro departs at the end of the year, although CSB has stated that it is in the process of searching for a replacement.
Martijn Bakx, CEO of Mediapro Canada, stated: “By creating the OneSoccer ecosystem, Mediapro has given soccer fans a home in Canada and in doing so, we have shown our full commitment to developing the game in a territory where soccer was, and still is, in dire need of recognition.
“We are confident that Timeless and CSB will continue to build on these strong foundations and remain committed to growing the sport in all corners of the world”.
