NHL Lockout, Day 66: Kraft Canada Cancels Hockeyville Program For '13

The NHL labor dispute has "claimed a major marketing casualty," as sponsor Kraft Canada is "cancelling its Kraft Hockeyville program for 2013," according to Susan Krashinsky of the GLOBE & MAIL. Kraft today announced a "new promotional program, and will be giving [C]$1-million to Hockey Canada-affiliated minor hockey associations across the country." Kraft Canada Dir of Corporate Affairs Kathy Murphy in an e-mail wrote, "We're re-investing our sponsorship dollars to recognize the game is going on -- from Victoria to St. John's." The Kraft Hockeyville program runs every year in partnership with the CBC and "encourages Canadians to compete to win prize money for their communities." That money is "used to upgrade a local hockey arena." S&E Sponsorship Group CEO Brian Cooper said, "The frustration levels among sponsors are nearing the tipping point." He added, "The league's been very good about keeping them informed. That works really well in the first six weeks. But more than two months since the lockout began, sponsors are tired of hearing the same message that nothing's changed" (GLOBE & MAIL, 11/20).