Retailer Sport Chek on Monday announced a two-year partnership with Raptors G Kyle Lowry, marking the 28-year-old's first endorsement deal with a Canadian company. As part of the agreement, for which financial terms were not disclosed, Lowry becomes the face of #MyNorth -- the sporting goods retailer's grassroots campaign launched in October. FGL Sports Senior VP/Marketing Frederick Lecoq, whose division oversees Sport Chek, said any concerns execs had of choosing a Philadelphia native for a Toronto-based marketing plan were “dramatically minimized” after meeting with Lowry. Lecoq: “Kyle is completely engaged and immersed in this city. He’s established himself as the face of the franchise.” In addition to a digital and social media push, Lowry will be involved in a fitness and training campaign for Sport Chek, a division of Canadian Tire. That campaign kicks off Friday with a 60-second online spot, two days before Lowry will be a starter in the NBA All-Star Game at MSG. In-store signage and TV spots will be included in the training campaign’s activation. Lowry also will be making surprise in-store appearances (Charlie Frankel, Staff Writer).
CHEK MARK: In Toronto, Morgan Campbell noted Sport Chek joins adidas as Lowry’s "highest profile sponsors." Sport Chek "sponsors the Raptors and runs a retail store at MLSE-owned Maple Leaf Square," which begs the question whether Lowry "has bonafide NBA-star marketing clout, or whether he’s just the all-star at the intersection of pre-existing corporate partnerships." The Raptors' "We the North" campaign "inspired" the #MyNorth slogan (TORONTO STAR, 2/10). The GLOBE & MAIL's Rachel Brady noted Lowry "joins a stable of Sport Chek athletes that includes" Penguins C Sidney Crosby. Canadian Tire Exec Officer & Senior VP Duncan Fulton said, “We decided two years ago that we wanted to align the Sport Chek brand with basketball in the GTA, and we saw it as a five-year game plan. ... We hurried up the deal so we could get Kyle into the commercial" (GLOBE & MAIL, 2/10).
