Ottawa Rapid FC: Everything you need to know about Ottawa women's pro soccer franchise
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Who is Ottawa Rapid FC?
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The brand-new Northern Super League, Canada's first women's professional soccer circuit, made Ottawa Rapid FC one of its six charter franchises. The 25-player squad will commence its 2025 season at 1 p.m. on April 27 at home against Vancouver Rise FC at TD Place stadium.
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Yes, but context is required.
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Between 2003 and 2014, Ottawa Fury FC competed in the W-League, also known as the USL W-League, claiming 10 division titles, three conference titles and a 2012 league crown, though it wasn't a professional side because players weren't paid salaries.
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Success between the lines wasn't matched by attendance figures, however, and in December 2014 Ottawa Sports & Entertainment Group made a financially motivated decision to shutter the women's squad.
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Ottawa Rapid FC players will be paid as professional athletes. Each roster will have a season salary cap of $1.6 million, with the minimum salary being $50,000, and every club will be allowed one marquee player whose compensation doesn't count against the cap.
The national capital was one of six cities included in the debut season of the Northern Super League, co-founded by Diana Matheson, a former Canadian women's team stalwart and, coincidentally, a former Fury FC player. The NSL is owned by its member clubs, with Matheson and league co-founder Tom Gilbert holding an ownership stake in Ottawa Rapid FC and Gilbert serving as the franchise's chief executive officer.
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