It's a Slam Dunk Partnership for The Bay, Toronto Raptors and NBA
The Bay Named Official Style Partner for the Toronto Raptors; Launching Collaboration in the New Year
TORONTO, ON — Matching up Canada’s fashion retailer with two of North America’s largest sports organizations, The Bay announced today that it has signed strategic partnership agreements with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Toronto Raptors.
As part of its 4-year partnership with the 2019 NBA Champions, The Bay becomes the Official Style Partner of the Toronto Raptors and will have unique opportunities to engage with Canadians through arena activations and digitally-integrated moments, including co-branding of the player tunnel, branded courtside LEDs and ‘In-Game Moments.’ In addition, The Bay will host home game arena ‘take-over’ nights, which will include support of Hudson’s Bay Charter for Change—a Hudson’s Bay Foundation initiative that works with partner organizations, including MLSE Foundation, the charitable arm of MLSE, to accelerate racial equity in Canada.
Later in the season, The Bay will unveil an exclusive product collaboration as part of the partnership with the NBA in Canada and Toronto Raptors, to provide basketball fans with collector-worthy apparel. Net proceeds from the sale of the collection will support Hudson’s Bay Charter for Change.
“We are proud to partner with an iconic Canadian brand that many of our fans know and love,” said Jordan Vader, VP, Global Partnerships, MLSE. “In addition to the exciting opportunities The Bay has planned, we look forward to the positive impact Hudson’s Bay Charter for Change will have, and the great work MLSE Foundation is doing in the community to support youth facing barriers.“
“We are excited to team up with these renowned organizations that encourage expression of style and experiences, align with our values, and The Bay’s brand mission to help Canadians live a colourful life,” says Allison Litzinger, VP Brand at The Bay. “This partnership will continue to create discovery and delight for all The Bay has to offer, especially for Raptors fans across the country. It’s a true superteam.”
Customers can stay up to date with exciting activities planned for the Raptors season, including the collection drop date, exclusive swag bag and giveaway moments and halftime integration announcements by following @hudsonsbay on social media or by signing up for The Bay’s emails. Canadians can begin ‘stripe-spotting’ with the 2021/2022 Raptors season tip-off in October.
ABOUT THE BAY AND HUDSON’S BAY
Through a digital-first, purpose-driven lens, The Bay and Hudson’s Bay help Canadians live their best style of life. As one of the country’s most iconic brands, Hudson’s Bay operates 86 full-line locations and The Bay operates thebay.com featuring Marketplace -- the 6th largest e-commerce business in Canada. The Bay and Hudson’s Bay have established a reputation for quality and style through an unrivalled assortment including fashion, designer, home, beauty, food concepts and more. The Hudson’s Bay Rewards program is ranked second in department store loyalty programs in Canada.
The Bay and Hudson’s Bay operate under the HBC brand portfolio. Founded in 1670, HBC is North America’s oldest company. The signature stripes are a registered trademark of HBC.
FOR THE BAY:
Lauren Polyak
Manager, Public Relations
lauren.polyak@hbc.com
647-926-2463
Tiffany Bourré
DVP, Communications & PR
tiffany.bourre@hbc.com
416-571-1301
FOR MLSE:
Charzie Abendanio
Manager, Corporate Communications
Charzie.abendanio@mlse.com
FOR NBA:
Ashton Lawrence
Manager, Communications
ashlawrence@nba.com