Ian Allison, Senior Vice President of Spruce Meadows and President/COO of Cavalry FC, shared the fascinating journey of how Spruce Meadows, known for its world-class equestrian events, became an owner of a professional soccer team.
The team holds its home opener for this Canadian Premier League season on Friday April 18.
The story began during the Spruce Meadows Masters Tournament, when Tommy Wheeldon Jr., then managing a successful amateur soccer club in Calgary, suggested the possibility of hosting a football match on the facility’s iconic grass fields. While initially met with skepticism due to the venue’s equestrian history, the idea planted the seed for future discussions, especially as the Canadian Premier League (CPL) began gaining momentum.
By 2018, Spruce Meadows was granted a CPL club licence. The club’s founding took place amid a growing realization that Canada, despite being a top-tier soccer economy, lacked a domestic professional league. Cavalry FC’s journey was further accelerated when the team’s leadership, including the Southern family behind Spruce Meadows, swiftly acted to construct a soccer-specific stadium, ATCO Field, in just a few months.
In 2019, Cavalry FC debuted in the CPL with a stadium designed for scalability, initially seating 6,500 fans with plans for future expansion to 12,000. The fanbase has grown steadily, fueled by the city’s increasing population and soccer’s rising popularity. Despite Calgary being a hockey-centric city, Cavalry FC has established a strong brand presence, particularly among youth, with twice as many children playing soccer as hockey.
Allison credits the club’s success to a combination of factors, including the integration of Spruce Meadows’ operational expertise and the league’s growing recognition. Through shared resources like ticketing, media, and crowd management, the team has been able to thrive both on and off the field. As Cavalry FC’s brand continues to grow, the synergy with Spruce Meadows remains a cornerstone of their operations, helping to bring professional soccer to the forefront of Calgary’s sports landscape.
Mario Toneguzzi
Mario Toneguzzi is Managing Editor of Canada’s Entrepreneur. He has more than 40 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He was named in 2021 and 2024 as one of the top business journalists in the world by PR News. He was also named by RETHINK to its global list of Top Retail Experts 2024 and 2025.
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