Brian Budd
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- This article is about the former Canadian soccer player. For the similarly named British Army soldier, posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, see Bryan Budd.
Brian Budd (born April 8, 1952) is a former Canadian professional soccer player best known for winning the World Superstars competition three years in a row from 1978 to 1980. He is now a soccer sportscaster.
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[edit] Early years
Born in Toronto and raised in Vancouver, Budd was an all-around athlete in his youth. He was a competitive swimmer and was training to be a figure skater until he quit at age 14. He did not focus on soccer until he was 19 years old. In 1973, Budd had his throat slashed by a stranger at a party in Vancouver. He made a full recovery.
[edit] Superstars
From 1977 to 1979, Budd won three straight Canadian Superstars competitions. His victories earned him a spot in the annual World Superstars contests, produced by U.S. broadcasters ABC Sports, which Budd won each time. That prompted the creation of a rule barring anyone from competing in a Superstars competition after their third victory—unofficially called the "Budd rule." Budd believed that ABC wanted him removed from the show because he was not well known to the American TV audience. His total winnings from the Superstars contests were about $170,000.
[edit] Soccer
[edit] NASL
Budd played seven seasons in the North American Soccer League. He began his career with the Vancouver Whitecaps in 1974 in the team's inaugural season and remained with the squad until 1978, when he was acquired by the Colorado Caribou in that team's only season. After languishing on the bench and playing in just two games, Budd requested a trade to the Toronto Metros-Croatia, and the deal was made in May 1978. He scored five goals in his first four games with Toronto. In 1979, Budd returned to the team, renamed the Toronto Blizzard under new owners, but did not play regularly. With a year left on his contract, he was offered an outright release by the Blizzard in November so he could play a full season of indoor soccer. He chose to remain with the Blizzard. Budd began the 1980 season in Toronto but was released in June. He then signed with the Houston Hurricane and played there for the remainder of the season, finishing his NASL career.
[edit] International
Budd was a member of the Canadian national soccer team. He scored two goals in earning seven caps, including one against the Americans in a 1978 World Cup qualifying match played in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on December 22, 1976, in which Canada prevailed 3-0.
[edit] Indoor
Budd played indoor soccer professionally with the Cleveland Force of the original Major Indoor Soccer League. He led the Force in scoring in their maiden season, 1978-79, with 29 points (25 goals, 4 assists) and was named the team's MVP. The Force finished the year in last place in the six-team league with the weakest offence in the MISL. He did not return the following year because it would have overlapped with training camp for the outdoor season. In 1980, Budd signed a two-year deal with the Baltimore Blast.
[edit] Commentator
Following his retirement, Budd became a color commentator on Toronto Blizzard broadcasts in 1982 and was the club's director of public affairs until the end of 1983. He also provided reports from Spain of the 1982 FIFA World Cup for CKEY (AM) in Toronto. He is now a soccer analyst on The Score's segment Sportsworld, along with James Sharman and fellow former international Paul James.
[edit] Other
As of 2006, Budd works in sales management for InBev, owners of Labatt Brewing Company.
