In Vancouver, Patrick Johnston reported Canada men’s national team head coach Jesse Marsch has a new contract, “running through the 2030 World Cup.” A large portion of his salary is “being covered by a group of philanthropists: one of whom is majority Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot.” The Saputos, who own CF Montreal, as well as private equity investor Seth Boro and his wife Jen Hamilton, Vancouver’s Adnani family, and a fifth investor who has “chosen anonymity,” are the others. Kerfoot’s investment is “in keeping with his long-standing interest in Canadian soccer” (Vancouver PROVINCE, 5/29).
TAILOR-MADE: WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY’s Palmieri & Carrera note Montreal-based men’s suit brand Samuelsohn has been named the “official fine clothing outfitter” of Canada men’s national team. Under the terms of the deal that were “teased” last week, the country’s best players will be “dressed in Samuelsohn custom suits,” the specifics of which will be “unveiled later this month.” Harry Rosen, one of the country’s “most esteemed luxury specialty stores,” will also be part of the deal. The retailer will “offer a collection of accessories to complete the players’ wardrobes and will incorporate Samuelsohn’s official Canada Soccer suit program into its made-to-measure program” (WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 6/1).
SWEET SUITE: BLOOMBERG NEWS’ Andrea Navarro noted a 27-seat suite that has “one of the best views of the pitch” is asking $1.6M “for all five games” being played at Banorte Stadium in Mexico City during the FIFA World Cup. Another 15-person suite is asking $431,795. The stadium is the only one of the 16 venues across Mexico, the U.S. and Canada that “didn’t have to turn over coveted boxes to FIFA for the World Cup games this summer.” Whereas those tickets are sold on official platforms, the Mexico City deals are “only available via WhatsApp.” The original stadium owner Emilio Azcárraga sold boxes to “some of the city’s richest families to fund the rest of the construction.” In return, those families “received 99-year ownership contracts to the suites, effectively making them private property.” It is “possibly the only arrangement of its kind in the world” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 5/30).
