Sponsorship roundup
By Adnews Staff
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment has signed an agreement with BlackBerry, making the company the official mobile computing sponsor of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Raptors and Marlies. The brand will receive in-venue exposure at Air Canada Centre, while BlackBerry will develop a number of applications aimed at sports fans, including a channel on BlackBerry Messenger that will be hosted by Leafs and Raptors personalities. "This announcement means exciting things are in store for BlackBerry customers and Maple Leafs and Raptors fans everywhere," said David Hopkinson, senior vice-president of global partnerships and marketing at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. "We look forward to bringing unprecedented access and some amazing experiences to our fans through this partnership over the next several years."
Adidas Canada has signed a four-year agreement with the Canadian Olympic Committee making the company the official high performance apparel and footwear sponsor of the Canadian Olympic Team. This fall, Adidas will launch a new product line called the Canadian Olympic Team High Performance Collection, which will be sold at Sport Chek stores nationally. Canadian Tire and Sports Experts stores will also carry some of the products. Sport Chek and Adidas also signed sponsorship deals of seven individual Canadian athletes who will participate in promotional events and a new marketing campaign called "What it Takes" that will break in the fall. The participants are skiers Chris Del Bosco and Erik Guay, speed skater Charles Hamelin bobsledder Kaillie Humphries hockey player Meaghan Mikkelson skeleton racer Jon Montgomery and snowborder Maëlle Ricker. "The Adidas brand is synonymous with so many memorable international sporting moments, therefore partnering with seven of Canada's most accomplished athletes was a natural fit," said Marcel Aubut, president of the Canadian Olympic Committee. "This is an innovative sponsorship which will go a long way in helping our athletes as they continue to prepare to take on the world."