He dreamed of making big plays for the Maple Leafs, and now he is–though all his wins are off the ice
Andrew Stokes spent much of his childhood in the rinks of Welland, Ont., dreaming of perhaps one day making it to the Toronto Maple Leafs. His dream came true, though not in the way he imagined.
As manager, global partnerships for Leafs parent Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), Stokes oversees marketing programs for some of the company’s biggest customers, including Bell, Coca-Cola, Diageo and Scotiabank. His accounts generate more than $15 million in annual revenue for Canada’s largest sponsorship business.
“I’m where I wanted to be,” says Stokes. “If I had my way, I’d be playing sports for a living, but I wasn’t talented enough to do that. The next best thing was a career in sports.”
His role gives him the type of unfettered access to professional sports events everyday fans yearn for, yet also prevents him from being a typical hotdog-eating, Jumbotron-watching spectator.
“You pay attention to much different things: the way they operate the venue, the way they bring partners to life in-stadium, the way things are made broadcast-visible,” he says. “I wouldn’t change it, but it definitely changes the way you take in a sporting experience.”
Stokes joined MLSE from sports management firm IMG in 2010, and quickly established himself as a potential franchise player. He was nominated for the company’s “Rookie of the Year” award in 2011, and received the MLSE Star Award for being a community leader that same year.
In his five years with MLSE, Stokes has demonstrated an ability to keep clients happy (his accounts have renewed at a rate of more than 95% since his arrival) complemented by a knack for innovative sponsorship activations.
In March, for example, he led an NHL-first initiative that saw 14 of the Leafs’ advertising partners change their camera-visible rink-board ads to Chinese for a game being broadcast live in China.
Last year, he led the launch of Bell’s partnership with the Toronto Raptors, which produced 24% unaided recall for the telco — placing among the top five for the NBA franchise’s partners. Likewise, programs for Dove, Coca-Cola Zero and Sprite have all been recognized at leading sports and sponsorship organizations.
So, what’s his secret? Stokes attributes much of his professional success to his tendency to ask a lot of questions. “I’m curious by nature, and I like to understand how and why things work,” he says. “When you ask a lot of questions you can get to the root of a problem and find the best solution.”
Meet the rest of the 30 Under 30 for 2014
