N.L.'s $171K partnership with U.K. soccer team a 'total waste of money,' says Wakeham

The leader of Newfoundland and Labrador's Official Opposition says the provincial government's decision to partner with a fourth-tier English soccer team is a complete waste of money.

PC Leader Tony Wakeham slammed the provincial government's decision to partner with Barrow AFC — announced last week by Immigration Minister Gerry Byrne — saying the province has a homelessness problem and seniors who can't afford their medications.

"And then we find out that this government turned around and gave $171,000 to sponsor a Tier 4 English soccer team, whom nobody had ever heard of," he said Tuesday. "It's ridiculous, outlandish and it shows a total disrespect for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador who are struggling to make ends meet."

The two-year, $171,000 partnership gets the province's name onto the front of the home and away jerseys for Barrow AFC, which plays at the fourth level of English professional football.

"I wonder if we now have season tickets to this particular soccer team so that when Liberal cabinet ministers are all over Europe in their photo ops, maybe they'll drop in and watch a game," said Wakeham.

Byrne said Wakeham's criticisms are baseless.

"We've had some issues in the past with the PC caucus, and I think there's a little bit of a recoil that Mr. Wakeham is engaged to now," said Byrne.

"What he's actually saying is that we really, really don't want Newfoundland and Labrador out there in the public stage, we'll try to invent false criticisms, cherry-pick criticisms, and try to denounce this."

Byrne said the idea to partner with the team came from a "think-tank" session within the department. The province's name will now be viewed by millions of people from around the world, he said.

"It's out-of-the box thinking," Byrne told CBC News.

Byrne said being featured on the team's jersey also means the province's name will be showcased in soccer video games, which helps the provincial government attract "young talent" and "young families."

Wakeham says the provincial government needs to provide the research and statistics that went into making the decision.

"When the minister talks about all of the coverage that this is going to get, one has to question, where is he getting his information from?" said Wakeham.

"I am sure that any kid that is playing a video soccer game is not thinking about immigrating to Newfoundland and Labrador. And they're probably not watching a Tier 4."

'A very, very good cost': Byrne

While it may be unconventional for governments, Byrne said, partnering with sports teams is common practice in the private sector to sell products and has been proven successful in many other settings.

When asked why the government chose to partner with a team in Barrow-in-Furness, described in a provincial government press release as a "port town that claims home to a world-class shipyard," Byrne pointed to a purchase made by Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds.

Reynolds, alongside U.S. actor Rob McElhenney, invested more than $3 million in 2021 to buy Wrexham AFC, a previous competitor of Barrow's before earning promotion into the third tier. Byrne said the government of Newfoundland and Labrador got its partnership for a "very, very good cost."

"Just as Ryan Reynolds chose to enter into this league, we got a really good cost, as an entry-level partner," said Byrne.

Byrne said the department will measure the partnership's success by traffic on its website and social media channels. 

He said the department has built great connections with Barrow's players. The partnership isn't just with a small soccer team from the U.K., he said.

"Our partnership now is with the world."

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