Ford and Toronto Maple Leaf owners Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) have announced the renewal of a five-year partnership that will see Ford award thousands of free tickets to fans and rebrand Maple Leaf Square, a popular gathering spot outside the Air Canada Centre, as the “Ford Fan Zone at Maple Leaf Square.”
The original plan had called for the area, currently known as Maple Leaf Square, to be renamed “Ford Square.” However, MLSE and Ford backed away from those plans after some Torontonians complained that the name suggested a link to Toronto mayor Rob Ford and the Ford family.
But naming rights aside, the cornerstone of the renewed partnership is the “Leafs Nation Ticket Program,” which will award more than 9,000 free tickets to Leafs home games throughout the course of the 2014-2015 NHL season, and for each year of the five-year relationship.
Recipients get the opportunity to cheer on the team from the newly-designed “Ford Fan Deck” inside the Air Canada Centre.
“Ford is a tremendous partner and we’re thrilled that our fans will be the real winners with the new opportunities that will stem from this relationship,” said David Hopkinson, chief commercial officer of MLSE in a statement.
“Already this pre-season, the Ford Fan Deck in Air Canada Centre has been filled with die-hard Leafs fans and new programming outside the building will only add to the special fan experience we’ve seen in the playoffs the past two years.”
Fans can also win tickets by engaging with the “Ford Fanatic” on Twitter and Facebook. Ford will award tickets to those who demonstrate passion for the team via a variety of online and in-person challenges.
Other elements of the partnership include the ‘Player Drive to the Game’ which gives Ford customers a chance to attend a game with Leafs alumni, as well as the new “Road Game Correspondent” which grants select Leafs and Raptors fans the opportunity to follow the team on the road and become a guest contributor for Leafs and Raptors social media.
