The Senators today announced Canadian Tire has signed a long-term deal for the naming rights to the team's home arena. The deal, which will see the arena renamed Canadian Tire Centre, goes into effect on July 1 and all signage is slated to be in place before the start of the '13-14 NHL season. Canadian Tire will get digital, scoreboard and in-ice signage in addition to the building itself. The company will be the title sponsor of all Senators broadcasts on Sportsnet. On-site branding opportunities will be available for many brands under the Canadian Tire umbrella (Senators). In Ottawa, Ken Warren notes the arena has been known as Scotiabank Place since a 15-year, C$20M deal was signed in October '06. While the Scotiabank name "will come off the building, the bank will continue its association" with the team. Meanwhile, the deal with Canadian Tire marks a "continuation of an aggressive recent campaign by the company to align itself with sports organizations throughout the country -- both at the professional and amateur levels." It has "steadily increased its association with the NHL in recent years." Canadian Tire since August '10 "has been the official sporting goods retailer of the NHL in Canada and has a separate sponsorship agreement" with Blackhawks C Jonathan Toews (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 6/18). Also in Ottawa, Bruce Garrioch cites a source as saying that the Scotiabank deal is "no longer in place because the bank doesn't serve as a financial backer" and Senators Owner Eugene Melnyk "had the right to find a new partner." This will be "the third time since the 20,500-seat building opened it will undergo a name change." It was called The Palladium in January '96 "until Corel Corp. bought the rights and renamed it Corel Centre" (OTTAWA SUN, 6/18). Scotiabank still retains naming rights to the Flames' Scotiabank Saddledome after signing a deal in October '10 (THE DAILY).
