ST. JOHN'S -- The Newfoundland and Labrador government's unorthodox sponsorship of a fourth-tier soccer team in England is over, but not all marketers agree it deserved widespread scorn.
Melissa James, an associate business professor at the University of Prince Edward Island, says innovative marketing strategies take risks and time to pay off.
James says every province is going to trade fairs and buying ads to attract skilled workers, and the unique sponsorship of Barrow AFC could have delivered better exposure.
The former Liberal government announced in 2024 it had paid $171,000 to have the province's name and immigration website emblazoned on Barrow AFC jerseys, in an effort to lure U.K. workers.
Dan Shaw, teaching fellow with Dalhousie University's management faculty, says it's difficult to take risks with public money, adding that he felt the sponsorship was "a reach."
The Progressive Conservatives have repeatedly panned the deal, and they say it won't be renewed when it expires in June.
This report by was first published April 24, 2026.