Hockey Canada Unveils '10 Games Jerseys After Multiple Redesigns

Hockey Canada Unveils '10 Games Jerseys After Five Attempts At New Logo

Hockey Canada yesterday officially unveiled its jerseys for the '10 Vancouver Olympics "after five attempts at designing a new logo," and a "red maple leaf embossed with traditional Musqueam art replaces the previous logo of a hockey player's silhouette skating through a black and red maple leaf," according to CTVOLYMPICS.ca. The jerseys are "red and white with stripes across the arms and bottom," and "inside the crest, there are smaller Maple Leafs depicting the number of gold medals won by Canadian men's, women's and sledge hockey teams; the thunderbird and eagle, two First Nations symbols; and a hockey player and stick." Both the men's and women's sweaters "have the Canadian Olympic Committee and VANOC logos on them." After the IOC "forbade national sports federations from displaying their logo at the Games," the new sweater was designed by Nike Canada and Musqueam First Nation artist Debra Sparrow. Hockey Canada President & CEO Bob Nicholson said that "outside of the 2010 Olympics, Canadian national hockey teams will continue to wear the traditional Hockey Canada logo." The announcement "coincided with the commercial release for the 2010 jersey." A replica jersey is available with a suggested retail price of C$134.95, and an authentic jersey, "available in October," will cost C$399.95 (CTVOLYMPICS.ca, 8/17). The GLOBE & MAIL's Josh Wingrove notes the retail jerseys "have something the authentic ones don't -- a Hockey Canada logo ... stitched on the left sleeve." Toronto-based retail consulting firm Evans & Company Consultants Inc. President Wendy Evans said, "Does the design really make that much difference in the sale of the jerseys? I don't think it makes that much of a difference. Canadians are going to buy these jerseys because it's Canada." Nike Canada Head of Sports Marketing Christopher Rigney said that Nike "hasn't yet predicted how many jerseys it will sell, but that with the Games in Canada, the number will likely outpace sales of the ones used three years ago" at the '06 Turin Games (GLOBE & MAIL, 8/18).

HITTING THE TARGET: Nike has been named the official supplier of high-performance sporting goods for the '10 Games, granting the company exclusive rights to market and promote within the high performance sporting goods manufacturer product category for the '10 Games and rights to associate with the Canadian Olympic teams competing at the '10 and '12 Olympics. In return, Nike will make a financial investment in the Games and provide Team Canada replica hockey jerseys to VANOC as part of its merchandising program (Nike). VANOC Dir of Licensing & Merchandising Dennis Kim said that the deal "involves some cash and the provision of a number of jerseys VANOC will sell or market," and that VANOC "will also get royalties." In Vancouver, Jeff Lee writes with this deal secured, VANOC "has officially reached its goal of raising [C$760M] in sponsorship revenue." VANOC CEO John Furlong said that the committee "may yet sign other sponsors and suppliers, but that it had now reached its financial target" (VANCOUVER SUN, 8/18).