Canadian Olympic Committee renews partnerships beyond London 2012

The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) today announced that RBC and Hudson’s Bay Company are the first Premier National Partners to renew their sponsorship commitment to Canada’s Olympic Team beyond the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Marcel Aubut, COC President and his executive team were joined by Jim Flaherty, Canadian Minister of Finance, Gordon M. Nixon, President and CEO of RBC, Bonnie Brooks, President and CEO of The Bay, Hudson’s Bay Company, as well as Jeff Bean, three-time Olympic freestyle skier, Rosannagh MacLennan, 2008 Olympian and Pan American gold medallist in trampoline, and Jayna Hefford, triple Olympic gold medallist in ice hockey. Brian Williams, Host, Olympic Prime Time on CTV, acted as emcee.

"We are thrilled to renew our partnerships with RBC and Hudson’s Bay Company. Their expanded commitment to Canadian athletes will help them succeed on the world stage," said COC President Marcel Aubut. "This is the first in a series of announcements. These two fantastic partners are dedicated to supporting the Olympic movement in Canada. Their leadership will help give our athletes the tools they need to reach the top of the podium."

Supporting Past, Present & Future Champions

RBC’s long-standing partnership with the COC started 64 years ago, when Sidney Dawes, a founder of the Canadian Olympic Committee, phoned the President of the Royal Bank of Canada, Sydney Dobson asking for help getting the Canadian Olympic Team to the 1948 Olympic Winter Games in Switzerland. Since the COC-RBC partnership was formed, RBC has shown leadership in sport from the pinnacle of the Olympic stage all the way through grassroots initiatives that help give kids access to sport.

This expanded partnership has been strengthened to include new program elements to support Canadian athletes. The deal is a significant investment in a non-home-Games term and involves more programming to support athlete funding, philanthropy and sponsorship to a National Sport Federation (NSF).

"RBC believes that investing in our athletes is an investment in Canada, and we are proud to renew this partnership and help make a positive difference in amateur sport," said Gordon M. Nixon, President and CEO, RBC. "Our support for Canada’s Olympic team is a reflection of our commitment to excellence, teamwork and performance – values that we share with our athletes and the COC. In the next phase of our partnership, we will continue to build our athlete development program, connecting our Olympic heroes and hopefuls with Canadians across the country to share their passion and excitement for sport."

Proudly Outfitting Canada’s Athletes

Hudson’s Bay Company’s eight-year commitment as the Canadian Olympic Team’s official outfitter, spans from 2013 to 2020, covering all Olympic, Olympic Winter, Pan American and Youth Olympic Games. The Hudson’s Bay Company’s new investment is larger and much more diverse than the previous non-home-Games deal, comprising cash, merchandise, marketing value-in-kind and philanthropic programs such as the highly successful red mittens campaign.

Hudson’s Bay Company first outfitted Canadian athletes at the 1936 Olympic Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen as well as Squaw Valley in 1960, Innsbruck in 1964 and Grenoble in 1968. The Hudson’s Bay Company became a Premier National Partner of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the Canadian Olympic Team in 2005, providing Team Canada’s uniforms for the Torino, Beijing, Vancouver and London Olympic Games. During the 2010 Winter Games, Hudson’s Bay Company operated the most successful Olympic Superstore and retail program in Winter Olympic history.

"With the Hudson’s Bay Company’s long history of outfitting Canada’s Olympic athletes, we are thrilled to announce this new and exciting chapter in our partnership," said Bonnie Brooks, President and CEO of The Bay, Hudson’s Bay Company. "Our rich Canadian heritage makes us the ideal partner for the COC, which is synonymous with national pride and athletics. Now consumers and fans can look forward to being able to buy their favourite Team Canada apparel for years to come."

For more information, contact: dsoudas@olympic.ca

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