The Third Sub Episode 73: Breaking down York United's massive 2021 rebuild (Ft: Angus McNab)

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time joined by Angus McNab, GM, President and CEO of York United in the Canadian Premier League, for a very special in-depth interview.

First, they dive into the big topic that surrounded York this offseason, their rebrand, as they officially changed from York 9 to York United in an attempt to start winning over a fickle Greater Toronto Area market. McNab shares how the process of such a rebrand was undertaken, and what sort of impact it should have, as early reviews suggest that this was a good move from York.

After, they look at York's quest to improve fan engagement heading into their third season, something that McNab has been very focused on, considering his background in the area. From creating an active presence on social media, to creating a unique sporting atmosphere, McNab shares how York is looking to grow out their fanbase, especially towards that 15 to 30-year-old demographic, one that all companies are looking to engage more of these days.

Once through that, the talk shifts towards the field, as McNab shares how his team has gone about a massive retool that has seen them massively switch up their squad, with the goal of putting a disappointing first two years in the CPL behind them. He also shares how York's taking a big step forward in how they use advanced analytics to make such moves, something he's a big fan of having worked in that department for years before hand, explaining the value of using such stats and what his team has been able to do with that sort of forward thinking.

Lastly, McNab looks forward to the 2021 season and what he expects from his side both short and long-term on and off the field, with 2026 being used as a long term goal, with Canada's co-hosting of the World Cup cited as a benchmark for when he is looking to hit certain targets by.

You can find McNab on Twitter @gusmcnab, where he has shown to be a very active and vocal representative of the work that has been going on at York under his watch.

If you have Twitter, make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast @thirdsubpod!