Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Beyond the Pitch ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you visit beyondthepitch.ca, subscribe to our newsletter, or interact with us in any way. By using our website or services, you agree to the practices described in this Policy.

We are committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) of British Columbia.

1. Who We Are

Beyond the Pitch is a British Columbia-based soccer news and community platform serving parents, coaches, clubs, and soccer families across BC. We publish a free newsletter, maintain an online soccer field directory, list soccer camps, and provide community resources including a lost-and-found service.

Contact email: info@beyondthepitch.ca · Location: British Columbia, Canada

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

Subscribe to our newsletter (name, email address)
Submit a lost-and-found listing (name, contact details, description of item)
Submit a soccer camp listing as a club or academy (name, email, phone, location)
Send an advertising enquiry (name, email, company, message)
Contact us by email or through a contact form on the website

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit beyondthepitch.ca, certain technical information is collected automatically, including:

IP address and general geographic location (city or region level)
Browser type, version, and operating system
Pages visited, time on page, and navigation paths
Referring website or search engine
Date and time of visit and device type

2.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your experience. We use essential cookies (required for the website to function), analytics cookies (e.g., Google Analytics), and newsletter preference cookies. You can control cookies through your browser settings.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Deliver our free newsletter to subscribers
Publish lost-and-found listings and connect community members
List and manage soccer camp submissions from clubs and academies
Respond to advertising enquiries and process advertising arrangements
Respond to questions, comments, and support requests
Improve our website, content, and services based on usage data
Send service-related communications such as confirmation emails
Comply with legal obligations and detect fraudulent activity

We will never sell your personal information to third parties, and we do not use it for automated decision-making or profiling.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Consent — where you have given us clear permission (e.g., newsletter subscription)
Legitimate interests — to operate and improve our website and community services
Contract — to fulfil obligations when you submit a listing or advertising arrangement
Legal obligation — where required by applicable law

5. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share it only with:

5.1 Service Providers

Trusted third-party providers who assist us in operating our website and services, including email platform providers (Mailchimp or Kit/ConvertKit), web hosting providers, and analytics providers. These providers are contractually required to protect your information and may only use it for services on our behalf.

5.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government authority, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Beyond the Pitch, our users, or the public.

5.3 Business Transfers

In the event of an acquisition or asset transfer, your information may be part of the transfer. We will notify you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

6. Data Retention

Newsletter subscriber data — retained while your subscription is active; deleted within 30 days of unsubscribing
Lost-and-found listings — retained for 90 days after resolution or expiry
Camp listing submissions — retained while active; archived for up to 12 months
Advertising enquiry data — retained for 12 months after resolution
Contact and support messages — retained for up to 2 years
Analytics data — retained in anonymised form per our analytics provider's policies

7. Your Rights

Under Canadian privacy law, you have the right to:

Access — request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
Correction — request that inaccurate information be corrected
Withdrawal of consent — withdraw consent for processing at any time
Deletion — request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal obligations
Complaint — lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@beyondthepitch.ca. We respond to all requests within 30 days.

8. Newsletter and Email Communications

When you subscribe to our newsletter, you consent to receiving our regular email communications. Every email includes a one-click unsubscribe link. We comply with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) and do not send unsolicited commercial email.

9. Children's Privacy

Our website and services are not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us immediately at info@beyondthepitch.ca.

10. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information, including HTTPS encryption, restricted access to personal data, and the use of reputable service providers. No method of internet transmission is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website contains links to third-party websites such as BC Soccer, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and the Canadian Premier League. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date above and notify newsletter subscribers where appropriate. Continued use of our website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

13. Contact Us

For questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy:

Email: info@beyondthepitch.ca

Website: https://beyondthepitch.ca

Privacy Commissioner of Canada: www.priv.gc.ca · 1-800-282-1376

This Privacy Policy was last updated on April 24, 2026.