The new practice facility of the Toronto Raptors has a name: The BioSteel Centre.
The team announced a sponsorship deal with the Toronto-based drink maker Thursday, one that includes the naming rights for the $50-million practice facility.
“Selling naming rights to it was important if we could find the right partner,” MLSE chief commercial officer Dave Hopkinson said in a release. “It’s an ideal brand marriage. This isn’t simply putting a name on a facility. It’s an integrated partnership.”
A prominent sponsor of Basketball Canada, including Canada’s own version of the McDonald’s High School All-American game, BioSteel also has budding Canadian superstar Andrew Wiggins under its banner. The deal with the Raptors also includes a logo on the team’s practice jersey, branding of benches in-game, BioSteel bars in the ACC vending machines, and more.
The facility, meanwhile, will be located on the western Exhibition grounds and is slated to span 68,000 square-feet.
BioSteel co-founder Matt Nichol is a former strength and conditioning coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs who says Raptors have been using BioSteel for a decade, since back in the prototype stages. I’ve never dabbled much in the nutritional drinks and bars myself, but as the jacked freak that I am, I’m willing to give BioSteel a shot.
OVO gear
The new batch of Raptors-OVO-Mitchell & Ness gear teased earlier in the week hits shelves at 10 a.m. this morning. It’s available at Real Sports, online, and at the OVO store at Dundas and Bellwoods.
Out here at the Raptor Store powered by @RealSports. New OVO/Raps line goes on sale at 10am. #ChargedUp #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/3H2Xdsftlj
— Kat Stefankiewicz (@MatterofKAT) November 13, 2015
Read this
Really good Q&A with Luis Scola from Holly MacKenzie here.
(Photo Courtesy: Raptors.com)
