Canadian Tire Corporation is building momentum on its push into sports with a comprehensive, long-term partnership with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment that will feature multiple title and clothing sponsorships, cross-promotions and MLSE-branded experiences at CTC’s Sport Chek stores.
The deal extends Sport Chek’s Maple Leafs and Toronto FC sponsorships to a sweeping partnership involving CTC’s wide range of retail brands – Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, Mark’s, Partsource, National Sports, Pro Hockey Life, and Atmosphere – and all of MLSE’s four major league teams and three stadiums.
As an MLSE platinum partner, CTC will enjoy branding opportunities with MLSE’s digital and media properties, as well as category sponsorships in house and home, outdoor goods and automotive accessories at MLSE’s stadiums and sports channels. Staff at the Air Canada Centre, Ricoh Coliseum and BMO Field will all wear uniforms made by Mark’s starting next year.
The biggest news is for Sport Chek, which will become the official sporting goods retail sponsor of the Leafs, Marlies and Toronto FC. Sport Chek will open a new flagship store in Toronto’s Maple Leaf Square, beside the Air Canada Centre, that replicates many of the innovative features of its Yonge Street digital retail concept store. At stores throughout the GTA, Sport Chek will introduce MLSE store-within-a-store retail shops. It also plans to introduce the Sport Chek All-Access Series, which helps fans connect with MLSE’s star players.
The two companies’ respective charitable foundations, Jumpstart and the MLSE Foundation, will also be cooperating on community initiatives like CTC’s “We All Play for Canada” and the multi-sports courts that MLSE is building in Greater Toronto Area community centres.
Canadian Tire has been making a dramatic push into sports partnerships and promotions since it acquired Forzani Group, including Sport Chek, in 2011. Earlier this year it announced major commitments to Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic teams and inked an extensive sponsorship deal with the Ottawa Senators that includes home stadium naming rights. It’s also sponsoring the Canadian Soccer Association, Hockey Canada, Canada Snowboard and several other amateur sports organizations.
“Our company has been on offence in sports over the last couple of years,” said Michael Medline, president of Canadian Tire Sports, in a release. “We continue to evolve our brands to represent the best in sport for our customers and a partnership with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is a fantastic boost for what we can offer our customers in the GTA.”
