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Photo Courtesy: Canadian Premier League
Looking For Upwards Trajectory, CSB Hires From Down Under
By Just one day after Mark Noonan announced he will be stepping down as the Canadian Soccer Business CEO this summer, the organization has unveiled a brand new replacement role that has already been filled by a high-profile figure.
Canadian Soccer Business has named James Johnson, who spent the last five-and-a-half years leading Football Australia, as its new Group CEO. Johnson will begin his new role with Canadian Soccer Business this summer.
The veteran executive’s departure from Football Australia came as a surprise a few weeks ago, particularly given that his announcement came just days before the A-League finals and within a year of Australia hosting the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. He is in the midst of helping Football Australia through a transition period before beginning his new chapter up north.
His tenure down under saw him guide the country through the COVID-19 pandemic, eventually guiding the sport to record participation numbers while revamping the likes of the Australia Cup, club licensing regulations, and big changes to the player transfer system.
Johnson also helped negotiate the split from broadcaster Fox Sports and successfully landed a new deal with Paramount (is anyone having Mediapro flashbacks?) while unbundling the A-League, W-League, and Y-League management away from Football Australia to the Australian Professional Leagues instead.
Suffice to say, James Johnson cuts an ambitious figure who isn’t afraid of shaking the proverbial tree. He departs as the A-League reports record revenues, though Football Australia itself is expected to post a record loss of $8.5 million shortly.
Johnson has previously worked with City Football Group as its Senior VP of External Affairs, before which he spent five years of the Head of Professional Football. He arrives to the Great White North with a lot heavyweight employment experience padding his resume, and the CSB is quick to tout the big fish they’ve landed.
“James brings a rare combination of global insight, strategic leadership, and a deep passion for developing the sport at every level,” says CSB chairman Scott Mitchell. “His vision aligns perfectly with CSB’s goal to build a sustainable, progressive, and globally recognized soccer environment for Canada.”
A statement from the CSB cites Johnson’s experience in broadcast negotiations and his overall track record as key indicators that they’ve found the right man to maximize the organization’s growth in the coming years. It’s worth noting he has ample experience with multi-club ownership systems, salary caps, and growing soccer when it’s not the predominant sport in the local market.
With both the Socceroos and Maltidas having put on a real show at their most recent respective World Cups – one of which Australia hosted – Johnson will also play a key role as Canada prepares to co-host the FIFA World Cup 2026.
“I am honoured to join CSB and feel a real sense of excitement from the momentum building behind Canadian soccer,” says James Johnson himself. “I look forward to working with all stakeholders to support growth for all. We will build on CSB’s unique assets to foster a thriving and inclusive soccer community, putting innovation, collaboration, and strategic partnerships at the heart of all we do.”
The role will have some dual duties, with Johnson also sitting on the board for OneSoccer. His duties with the streaming service, who hold the Canadian Premier League, Canadian Championship, and domestic men and women’s national team broadcast rights, will be to build and advance the company’s distribution licenses.
Getting the above competition onto traditional mainstream channels has been an uphill battle. While TSN has boasted both CPL and national team action this year, Rogers remains locked in a CRTC dispute with OneSoccer.
It’s worth noting that Australia is in the midst of expanding its own domestic leagues, with Johnson having set them on the path to the impending introduction of the second-tier Australian Championship. Given that the CSB also holds long-term ownership rights to League1 Canada, a tiered pro-am competition playing a key role in the country’s pathway to professional soccer, Johnson will have key insights on how the lower domestic divisions could best be served.
“His appointment is a testament both to his track record shaping and delivering large-scale, sustainable initiatives across multiple jurisdictions, and his recognition of the tremendous potential CSB has in the years ahead,” adds Mitchell.
Johnson will begin in his new role starting later this summer, after Football Australia has hired his eventual successor.
Header Image Photo Courtesy: Canadian Premier League
