Lawsuit filed for $10 million against the organization aiming to establish a professional soccer team in Saskatoon

In 2017, Alan Simpson, the CEO of Living Sky Sports and Entertainment, teamed up with Novatrek to explore the possibility of bringing a Canadian Premiere League (CPL) soccer team to Saskatoon. The partnership held a summer soccer series in 2019 to test the concept, with Prairieland Park identified as the preferred site for a stadium.

However, in 2021, the CPL announced that Simpson's company had obtained exclusive rights to develop a franchise in Saskatchewan. This move was met with controversy as a group sued Alan Simpson and Prairieland Park, alleging a conspiracy to cut Novatrek Capital out of the deal.

The lawsuit claims that Simpson secretly negotiated with the league owners and Prairieland Park to end the exclusivity agreement early with Novatrek. It further alleges that Simpson expressed doubt about the marketing strategy for the 2020 series but offered no reason for his decision.

Prairieland Park, Alan Simpson, and Novatrek declined to comment on the matter since it was before the court. The lawsuit alleges that Simpson used connections and market research provided by Novatrek to his advantage, ultimately cutting the latter out of the deal to bring a CPL team to Saskatoon.

In 2021, Saskatoon Sports Ventures Inc. obtained the rights for a CPL team in Saskatchewan. The estimated cost for constructing the team's arena was approximately 50 million Canadian dollars. Simpson, however, estimated construction costs for the stadium to range between $15 to $21 million.

Simpson was effusive about the proposal, stating that his company was committed to the success of the league and that it would be hugely successful. In 2021, he touted the need for his company to have control of the venue, including naming rights, sponsorship rights, advertising rights, employment, food and beverage, and all ancillary revenues.

Preparations for a larger summer series in 2020 fell apart when Simpson quit the partnership one week before a meeting with the CPL owners. The legal battle between Simpson, Prairieland Park, and Novatrek continues, casting a shadow over the much-anticipated arrival of the CPL in Saskatoon.