Sport Chek to work with Lowry to grow basketball in Canada
TORONTO, Feb. 9, 2015 /CNW/ - Sport Chek, the official sports store of the Toronto Raptors, today announced a new, two-year endorsement deal with Toronto Raptors All-Star Kyle Lowry. In addition to positioning Lowry as the leading figure in Sport Chek's #MyNorth campaign, the deal includes opportunities for him to connect with Canadians over digital and social media and participate in surprise appearances in stores and neighbourhoods. As part of the new endorsement, Lowry will also become an Ambassador for Jumpstart Charities, a national charitable program dedicated to providing financially disadvantaged kids with the opportunity to experience the benefits of organized sport and recreation.
Lowry's first major Canadian endorsement deal, the announcement comes in advance of the 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend where Lowry will be representing the Toronto Raptors as the starting guard for the Eastern Conference team.
"At Sport Chek, our mission is to inspire Canadians to live healthy, active lives and Kyle Lowry embodies that brand promise," said Duncan Fulton, Senior Vice-President of Canadian Tire Corporation (Sport Chek's parent-company). "On and off the court, Kyle is a leader and a mentor who inspires young people in the GTA and across Canada to set goals and train hard."
Lowry will contribute to and become the face of Sport Chek's #MyNorth campaign, a grassroots platform launched last year with MLSE that celebrates the rich, deep-rooted basketball scene in the GTA. Building off the success of 'We the North,' #MyNorth aims to unite nine of Toronto's neighbourhoods – Brampton, Markham, Vaughan, North York, York, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Scarborough and Toronto – by spotlighting and sharing authentic stories and court culture under one banner.
"Sport Chek is a great brand and I am excited to partner with them and grow participation in basketball in Canada," said Kyle Lowry. "One of the best things about this partnership will be my support of Jumpstart Charities. No kid should be stripped of the opportunity to play ball and this partnership will help get more kids off the sidelines and into the game."
In becoming a Sport Chek sponsored athlete, Lowry joins a roster of some of Canada's most inspiring and talented athletes including Kaillie Humphries, Steven Stamkos, Sidney Crosby, Christine Sinclair, Meaghan Mikkelson and Rosie MacLennan.
About FGL Sports
FGL Sports Ltd. is Canada's largest national retailer of sporting goods, offering a comprehensive assortment of brand-name and private-brand products and operating more than 400 stores from coast to coast, under the following corporate and franchise banners: Sport Chek, Sports Experts, Atmosphere, National Sports, Intersport, Nevada Bob's Golf, Hockey Experts, Pro-Hockey Life and S3. FGL Sports also has websites for several of its corporate and franchise banners which can be accessed through its main website at www.FGLSports.com.
SOURCE FGL Sports Ltd.
Image with caption: "Duncan Fulton, SVP of Canadian Tire Corporation and Toronto Raptors All-Star Kyle Lowry, are joined by the Markham-Unionville Basketball Association to officially name Lowry a Sport Chek athlete. The announcement took place at the Air Canada Centre and will see Sport Chek and Lowry work together to grow the game of basketball in Canada. (CNW Group/FGL Sports Ltd.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150209_C7130_PHOTO_EN_11945.jpg
Image with caption: "Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors All-Star, is welcomed to the Sport Chek family by Duncan Fulton, SVP of Canadian Tire Corporation. Lowry and Sport Chek will work together to grow the game of basketball in Canada. (CNW Group/FGL Sports Ltd.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150209_C7130_PHOTO_EN_11946.jpg
