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Air Canada Threatening To Pull Sponsorship Of Nhl


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http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/2011/03/09/17558356.html

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Air Canada, one of the NHL's largest financial corporate backers, is threatening to withdraw its sponsorship if the league doesn't take "immediate" and "serious" action on headshots, QMI Agency has learned.

In a strongly worded letter addressed to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Wednesday, Denis Vandal, Air Canada's director of marketing/communications, expressed concern over recent incidents of headshots and concussions.

...

"We are contacting you (Wednesday) to voice our concern over (Tuesday night's) incident involving Max Pacioretty and Zdeno Chara at the Bell Centre in Montreal," wrote Vandal. "This is following several other incidents involving career-threatening and life-threatening headshots in the NHL recently."

Vandal noted the controversial issue is becoming bad for Air Canada's brand.

"From a corporate social responsibility standpoint, it is becoming increasingly difficult to associate our brand with sports events which could lead to serious and irresponsible accidents; action must be taken by the NHL before we are encountered with a fatality.

"Unless the NHL takes immediate action with serious suspension to the players in question to curtail these life-threatening injuries, Air Canada will withdraw its sponsorship of hockey."

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Good for them. I myself will be more selective in dealing with the NHL's sponsors in the hope that the movement swells and other sponsors take note and follow suite. "Hit them where it hurts" should be the slogan. Just for my own piece of mind,,,i plan on writting to some of these sponsors on my own,, letting them know that i'll think twice about buying products from anybody who supports attempted murder ( yeah,, i'm not a happy camper today :angry: )

WTG Air Canada. You have my total support. ;)

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At the end of the day, the way the NHL is being ran, I wouldn't mind seeing it fold. There's enough demand for hockey in Canada, where a league of at least 10 teams can compete. With profit sharing, powerhouses like Montreal and Toronto can support the smaller market teams and everyone can be happy. We have the CFL, why not have a CHL (Canadian Hockey League).

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Well done, Air Canada.

I've just seen a parody of the History Will Be Made commercials titled "What if Max died?". Very strong stuff, as is Air Canada's move.

I wonder if this will be a major topic of conversation during the GMs' meetings next week? Hope so and I hope that something comes of it, though I doubt the NHL will revisit this particular incident to change the outcome for Z.Creature

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Well done, Air Canada.

I've just seen a parody of the History Will Be Made commercials titled "What if Max died?". Very strong stuff, as is Air Canada's move.

I wonder if this will be a major topic of conversation during the GMs' meetings next week? Hope so and I hope that something comes of it, though I doubt the NHL will revisit this particular incident to change the outcome for Z.Creature

Habsolutely it's nice to see that a Canadian company is stepping up and defending our country's sport and demanding they put an end to these acts with affirmative action.Congratulation's on a huge advertising scoop this will only help your business.

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Air Canada deserves a ton of credit for this move and I do hope other sponsors will follow suit. It's obviously gotten to the point were the league is evidently fine with serious head and neck injuries to players even when they result from ILLEGAL plays and infractions. I cannot see how this adds any value to a brand, it's detrimental if anything, and from a CSR standpoint, it's simply unacceptable as pointed out in Air Canada's statement.

I still feel very strongly about this incident and it has definitely had a serious impact on my love for the game. That's not what I grew up with, not the sport I used to love since I'm a kid. If that's how it's going to be from now on, i.e. players basically risking their lives out there with absolutely no repercussions for aggressors, I'm absolutely done with this crap. Sport is supposed to be fun and entertainment, lives shouldn't be at stake to entertain the masses like they were in Ancient Rome.

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Air Canada deserves a ton of credit for this move and I do hope other sponsors will follow suit. It's obviously gotten to the point were the league is evidently fine with serious head and neck injuries to players even when they result from ILLEGAL plays and infractions. I cannot see how this adds any value to a brand, it's detrimental if anything, and from a CSR standpoint, it's simply unacceptable as pointed out in Air Canada's statement.

I still feel very strongly about this incident and it has definitely had a serious impact on my love for the game. That's not what I grew up with, not the sport I used to love since I'm a kid. If that's how it's going to be from now on, i.e. players basically risking their lives out there with absolutely no repercussions for aggressors, I'm absolutely done with this crap. Sport is supposed to be fun and entertainment, lives shouldn't be at stake to entertain the masses like they were in Ancient Rome.

awesome post I feel the same way right now. Although I won't miss a Habs game I have no interest in any other game really.

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Good for them. I'm not much of a flier so my support won't amount to much. When Molson bought the Habs from Gillette, I switched wholeheartedly and even increased consumption. :D

I hope Air Canada does pull their support. I've been waiting forever for Viagra to have a chance at naming rights to the current Air Canada Centre. I want to sell them on a new marketing idea. Picture this:

Shots of several NHL team captains lifting the Stanley Cup over their head, in slow motion. Maybe seven or eight.

The final scene would be black and white, from 1967, showing George Armstrong lifting the Cup for the Maple Leafs.

Fade out to a large Viagra logo with smaller NHL and Maple Leafs logos in the corners, and the words, narrated and printed on screen,

"It doesn't matter how long it's been, we'll help you get it up."

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Good for them. I'm not much of a flier so my support won't amount to much. When Molson bought the Habs from Gillette, I switched wholeheartedly and even increased consumption. :D

I hope Air Canada does pull their support. I've been waiting forever for Viagra to have a chance at naming rights to the current Air Canada Centre. I want to sell them on a new marketing idea. Picture this:

Shots of several NHL team captains lifting the Stanley Cup over their head, in slow motion. Maybe seven or eight.

The final scene would be black and white, from 1967, showing George Armstrong lifting the Cup for the Maple Leafs.

Fade out to a large Viagra logo with smaller NHL and Maple Leafs logos in the corners, and the words, narrated and printed on screen,

"It doesn't matter how long it's been, we'll help you get it up."

I put this in post of the day :lol: :lol: Thats an amazing idea!....and what happend to the pacioretty thread? :blink:

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At the end of the day, the way the NHL is being ran, I wouldn't mind seeing it fold. There's enough demand for hockey in Canada, where a league of at least 10 teams can compete. With profit sharing, powerhouses like Montreal and Toronto can support the smaller market teams and everyone can be happy. We have the CFL, why not have a CHL (Canadian Hockey League).

I'm inclined to agree with you... Imagine if the Canadian teams and a few northern US teams split off into a new league. The NHL would fold because the Canadian and northern US teams make all the money anyway.

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I'm inclined to agree with you... Imagine if the Canadian teams and a few northern US teams split off into a new league. The NHL would fold because the Canadian and northern US teams make all the money anyway.

http://www.guelphmercury.com/sports/article/316611--guelph-man-yearns-for-an-old-fashioned-six-team-hockey-league-registers-name-canadian-national-hockey-league I found an article here somewhat interesting.

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I put this in post of the day :lol: :lol: Thats an amazing idea!....and what happend to the pacioretty thread? :blink:

Hey bud. Thanks so much. I appreciate that.

On account of your encouragement, I couldn't help myself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYNs7SsBrzg

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:lol: :lol: :lol: great job man! I would say it could be better with the "history will be made" music but thats just my opinion

Thanks!

I agree with you about the music but I only just learned how to get video for this stuff. I barely got the song I used, it took some finangling (sp?). :D

My issue with the "history will be made" was that I struggled with the need to reverse it at some point, to keep with their theme.

That.

And the fact I don't have a copy of that music to play with. :(

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Thanks!

I agree with you about the music but I only just learned how to get video for this stuff. I barely got the song I used, it took some finangling (sp?). :D

My issue with the "history will be made" was that I struggled with the need to reverse it at some point, to keep with their theme.

That.

And the fact I don't have a copy of that music to play with. :(

You can download it i believve on nhl.com

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Guest olddude

At the end of the day, the way the NHL is being ran, I wouldn't mind seeing it fold. There's enough demand for hockey in Canada, where a league of at least 10 teams can compete. With profit sharing, powerhouses like Montreal and Toronto can support the smaller market teams and everyone can be happy. We have the CFL, why not have a CHL (Canadian Hockey League).

It would get my vote. Could you imagine the NHL losing the revenue from Montreal and Toronto and any other Canadian team. If you look back, it wouldn't be the first time there was a league change.

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