Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and Ford Canada have agreed to a new five-year sponsorship deal that includes the "naming rights to the square outside the Air Canada Centre," according to Susan Krashinsky of the GLOBE & MAIL. The name change from what is now known as Maple Leaf Square will be announced "early next week." Ford already is partners with the Raptors, Maple Leafs and Air Canada Centre. The automaker's Raptors sponsorship "is in its 20th year, and the other elements of the sponsorship go back 15 years." The expanded sponsorship agreement includes "Ford-branded signage" inside the arena. The automaker also will be "giving away 200 tickets per Leafs' game." Most of those "will be for seats in a new specially-marked area in the 600 section of the ACC called the Ford Fan Deck." MLSE has been trying to make what will be called Ford Square a "gathering place for fans." There are plans this NHL season to "occasionally move TV broadcasters' desks into the square and to host musical acts" (GLOBE & MAIL, 9/25).
NO, NOT THAT FORD: MLSE Senior Dir of Communications Dave Haggith indicated that it will be "made very clear that the square is not named" for Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. But the NATIONAL POST's Tristin Hopper notes many Toronto residents last night "took to social media to express indignance that the massive plaza could soon be mistaken as honouring the city's current and most controversial mayor." McMaster Univ. assistant marketing professor Marvin Ryder "urged patience" regarding the potential name mix-up. Ryder: "The Ford Motor Company name is well over a hundred years old, and I think they can withstand this and there will not be a lot of confusion in the fullness of time" (NATIONAL POST, 9/25).
