USL PDL’s Victoria Highlanders Fold

So farewell then, Victoria Highlanders FC. The last USL PDL club in British Columbia is, suddenly, gone. CTV News Victoria’s Chandler Grieve tweeted it Saturday afternoon and on CTV’s six o’clock news it was made official. Team owner Alex Campbell, Jr. has stunned soccer fans, and after six seemingly-successful seasons Victoria is now without soccer above the University of Victoria and the Vancouver Island Soccer League.

To all appearances the Highlanders did well. They exorcised the demons of the troubled CSL Victoria Vistas, who played only two seasons. Top ten in USL PDL attendance every year, a solid supporters culture by league standards, and no shortage of victories. Three times the Highlanders made the playoffs (hard to do in the Northwest Division), with a good run in 2013 as division champions. This past season saw a playoff appearance plus their first Juan de Fuca Plate, the supporter-created British Columbia semi-pro championship. Popular local players like Tyler and Jordie Hughes, Andrew and Adam Ravenhill, and goalkeeper Elliott Mitrou combined with memorable veterans like Blair Sturrock, Riley O’Neill, and former Canadian international Manny Gomez to create a likable, talented crew. Last year they were even nominated for a USL PDL marketing award[2].

Almost until the last minute fans and staff had their eyes on professional soccer: though the Canadian Soccer Association forbade them from joining USL Pro, the NASL seemed a tantalizing possibility when the Canadian division rumours started. Their attendance seemed to prove they could take a step up. Indeed, the Highlanders were successful enough to finish off PCSL club Victoria United, who dated back to 1904[3].

Victoria Highlanders Attendance Year Avg/G PDL Rank 2009 1,734 3rd 2010 1,375 4th 2011 992 10th 2012 1,017 8th 2013 1,637 5th 2014 1,314 9th 2009 to 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 statistics from kenn.com via the United Soccer Leagues.

For their first three seasons the Highlanders played at Langford’s ironically-named City Centre Stadium, a considerable trek from Victoria. But after moving to Royal Athletic Park downtown fans returned. Victoria’s attendance was several times better than, to pick a name not at all at random, the PDL-era Ottawa Fury, now in the NASL. They were competitive with the resurrected Austin Aztex, now in USL Pro. Apart from perennial off-field powerhouses like the Des Moines Menace, the Highlanders were a tier behind nobody in North American semi-professional soccer.

It would be interesting to know what happened to Victoria’s partial supporter ownership. At the beginning of 2013 the Highlanders announced that season ticket holders would take a 30% stake in the team, exercised by an elected board[4]. Little was heard of this board in 2014 and that 30% seems to have vanished into smoke without warning, let alone consultation with fans who’d purchased Highlanders season tickets up until the last moment.

How last moment? The Highlanders’ early-bird season ticket offer is still available, as of this writing[5]. The Vancouver Whitecaps have their annual friendly at the University of Victoria February 15; the Highlanders have been promoting the game, promised a merchandise booth at Centennial Stadium, and offered a discount for season ticket holders[6]. The Highlanders Academy informed their academy members the game was up only after the news had broken on Saturday[7]. Their U-21s played January 17, defeating Peninsula 5-1 and staying top of the Vancouver Island Soccer League U-21 table; no word yet on their scheduled January 31 fixture against Nanaimo.

It’s hard not to stagger when confronted with the sudden end of such a vibrant organization. What the hell happened? Travel was tough this year, with the Vancouver Whitecaps PDL team withdrawn. It’s replaced by the Calgary Foothills U-23s: a long ride from the Island. The departure of the Whitecaps’ W-League team helped kill the Highlanders’ entry back in 2012. But we’ve known the Whitecaps were leaving PDL for months and, with plenty of regional rivals remaining in Washington and Oregon, it hadn’t held the Highlanders back. At first.

In his telephone interview with CTV from Phoenix, owner Campbell said a deal with unnamed investors had fallen through. We’ve known for years Campbell wanted a partner and when the Highlanders ran out their seemingly-valueless supporter ownership scheme there was even a 20% share left open for a future “operator”[8]. Yet there was no suggestion that their demise was imminent.

It’s hard to hold a grudge against Campbell, who brought high-level soccer back to Victoria after almost twenty years, invested in new players while retaining local favourites, hired a young Canadian coaching staff and a highly competent front office, worked with his supporters, fought Victoria City Council’s hopeless addiction to low-level baseball, and even in the best-case scenario was never going to make serious money. But as demises go this one stinks even more than usual. The optics of Campbell winding up his team from Arizona, the end descending on fans, employees, and players like a flight of bombers over Pearl Harbor, are appalling. Surely the end could have been handled better than this. It could only have been worse if Campbell flew over Royal Athletic Park crapping out the window. The unavoidable impression to the fans is that the Highlanders have been rather murdered than killed.

Despite their premature end the Highlanders made a mark on North American soccer. Defender Jamie Cunningham, who played for Victoria in 2010, had a brief professional career with the NASL’s Puerto Rico Islanders. Matt Polster, a midfielder for Victoria in 2013, was just drafted seventh overall by Frank Yallop’s Chicago Fire[9]. Jared Stephens briefly played in England with Sheffield FC, the world’s oldest soccer club[10] and later with Belper Town. Defender Andrew Ravenhill, son of the CSL’s Dave and brother of teammate Adam, had a good trial in 2013 with the San Jose Earthquakes[11]. Sly, strong ex-Highlanders forward Sasa Plavsic turns out for IK Frej in Sweden[12] and versatile teammate Jamar Dixon just signed not too far away with Finland’s FF Jaro[13]. 2013 Highlanders star Brett Levis got a look with the Vancouver Whitecaps and, after playing PDL in Vancouver last year, is expected to be part of the Whitecaps’ USL Pro side. FC Edmonton trialed Victoria’s Michael Marousek and Diaz Kambere, and Victoria’s inaugural head coach Colin Miller now runs the Eddies.

Persistent rumours of a semi-professional league in British Columbia like those in Ontario and Quebec have left some pundits optimistic: the div-3 semi-pros will come along in a year or two, Victoria will certainly have a team in that, it’s more a nap than a death. But, firstly, if you think serious semi-pro is coming to BC above the VMSL Premier level in the next decade you’re way more optimistic than I am, and secondly the international and developmental nature of USL PDL seems to appeal more than regional semi-pro. The best League 1 Ontario teams draw crowds a quarter of those the Highlanders got, and that’s without considering the way the Highlanders’ vaporisation will poison the well for any future soccer team seeking fan acceptance and civic support. BC semi-pro in Victoria may be the best chance the city has – cry even more for Victoria United now – but the Highlanders are probably irreplaceable.