TORONTO, December 7, 2016 – It took just three minutes for the MLS Cup between Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders set for BMO field this weekend in Toronto to sell-out its capacity of 36,000 seats. This feat continues the momentum around soccer fever engulfing Canada with Toronto hosting MLS cup and vying to become the first Canadian club to win the Major League Soccer championship. The preceding two-leg Eastern Conference final between Toronto FC and L’Impact de Montreal first drew a record-tying crowd of 61,007 at Montreal Stade Olympique followed by 36,000 at BMO Field, with the latter the highest ever for a game at the 10-year-old stadium.  Canadian TV ratings for the series broke records with the second leg averaging 1.4 million viewers, the highest ever for a MLS game in the country, and 4.4 million people watching some part of the match.

York U Sport Marketing Instructor Vijay Setlur is available for media interviews to discuss the business of soccer and the economic impact on the Greater Toronto Area, including:

• significance of Toronto FC’s MLS Cup final appearance on the club’s business and brand
• the state of soccer in Canada (i.e. grassroots participation, player development, game attendance, TV viewership, corporate sponsorships)
• progress towards establishing a new Canadian professional soccer league
• future Canada bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

York University is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. York students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. York U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, York is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni. York U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact:
Anjum Nayyar, York University Media Relations, 416-736-2100 ext. 44543/anayyar@yorku.ca