The Oilers are "in search of a new sponsorship deal"
after Daimler Chrysler "pulled out of its affiliation" with
the team, according to Mario Annicchiarico of the EDMONTON
SUN, who writes that the company also terminated its deals
with the Flames and Canadiens. Oilers Exec VP/Business
Operations Doug Piper did not "disclose the actual dollars
involved" with the agreement, which spanned more than 15
years, but he called Daimler Chrysler a "major sponsor."
Piper: "We will have to replace it with another auto deal,
which is not a big deal. Both General Motors and Ford have
been interested for a long time." Annicchiarico notes that
the Oilers "realized the chance of losing" Chrysler as a
sponsor when Daimler took over the company in a merger last
fall. Chrysler's contracts with the three Canadian teams
ended after this season and the new ownership group "decided
against renewing the deal" (EDMONTON SUN, 5/10).
PUTTING OUT THE FLAMES? In Calgary, Ian Wilson reports
that in addition to Daimler Chrysler dropping its support,
the Flames "have been dealt a huge body check" after
Canadian Airlines decided to "tone down" its sponsorship of
the team. While Flames VP/Sales & Marketing Garry McKenzie
said that the company is opting out of its 20-year, C$20M
naming rights deal with the Saddledome after only five
years, it will remain the Flames' official airline partner,
"but in a reduced a role." McKenzie: "Potentially, we'll be
having a name change" (CALGARY SUN, 5/10). Meanwhile, the
CALGARY SUN's Mark Miller writes that with the team in the
midst of a campaign to reach the 14,000 season-ticket mark
by June 30, the sponsorship curtailment "threatens the life"
of the NHL in Calgary. Miller: "The bleeding was already
critical -- now it threatens to send this franchise flat
line" (CALGARY SUN, 5/10). Flames Dir of Sales & Ticket
Operations Jack Maloney, on the status of the team's ticket
drive: "People are sort of waiting to see what's going to
happen and unfortunately, I don't know if it's a good way to
go. We have to keep moving along" (Port. OREGONIAN, 5/9).
