As the days go by, the weather finally getting warmer, the snow melting off the pitch, I can’t help but get excited with anticipation of the 2019 season. With the impending announcements from around the country that are bound to start making news in the coming weeks, we as supporter organizations are in a unique position with the Canadian Premier League and its clubs!

I can see the excitement building within Red River Rising, supporters starting to come out to pub nights, concepts of the possible crests, badges, and kits being designed, shared and discussed, it is hard to contain one’s self from feeling like a school aged child waiting for Christmas break. The Winnipeg football club is starting to embrace our organization as well, starting off as a tightly sealed treasure chest holding their cards close to their chest, even after the Canadian Soccer Association confirmed Winnipeg as a founding club, to now opening up and letting us know to prepare for things to start moving fast, and now giving us the possibility of becoming more involved with each other to create a bustling, vibrant, football culture to help this league/club succeed.

But with that being said, I feel it is important for us as supporters to understand that it is very easy for people to have a negative attitude, especially with the history of professional soccer in Winnipeg and Canada. However, we all need to understand something, demographics in this country have changed over the last 20 years. Hockey will always be a major sport in Canada but TSN and Sportnet would not be picking up EPL, MLS, and UEFA matches if there wasn’t a market for it!  Some people also seem to have personal drama that might be hard to get past, and we should respect them and their opinions, but in the end we are a supporters group, who have come together with the common goal.

Finally, I would to inform readers whom may not know; the CPL has Trademarked 6 names, of which “York9” has a launch date set for May.  None on the 6 names are anything related to Winnipeg, however it is a good sign that the ball is rolling!  Lets Rise Together and get ready for the roller coaster ride!!