A strategist says that a retailer sees itself as an embodiment of national values.
Hockey is the most popular of the country's two national sports and the value corporations place on it was demonstrated last week by the exodus of sponsors.
As the negative press surrounding Hockey Canada's handling of sexual assault allegations mounted, the list of famous companies seeking to create distance grew longer and longer: Bank of Nova Scotia, Canada's third-biggest bank, and Telus Corp., the country's third-biggest telecommunications
The Financial Post is part of Postmedia Network Inc. There was an issue with signing you up. Try again.
One big name sponsor was louder than the others. Canadian Tire Corp., the century-old maker of skates and hockey sticks, stood out by making a clean break and not hedging their bets.
Jane Shaw, senior vice-president of communications, said in a statement that Hockey Canada can no longer be confident in moving forward.
Hockey Canada, the organization responsible for assembling the national teams that attract millions of viewers whenever they play televised games, could have used the time to work with Canadian Tire.
A woman walks out of a store.
The photo is from the National Post.
That isn't what he did. Lisa Hutcheson said that the decision to take a harder line offered a glimpse at how one of Canada's biggest retailers has evolved beyond its stereotype as a store for guys. Hutcheson said that a company that is part of the cultural fabric of Canada seems to have taken that responsibility seriously, accepting that if it sees itself an embodiment of national values, then it must also keep up with the times.
Hutcheson said that they were trying to move beyond the stereotype of the guy that shops for tires and sporting goods and that they were looking at how to attract female customers. It conflicts with supporting an organization that has some not-so-good stuff going on right now.
Bruce Winder, a retail analyst and author, said that Canadian Tire had more at stake than other large sponsors of Hockey Canada. Hockey and Canadian Tire are synonymous. Hockey and Canadian Tire are both associated with the same thing.
Canadian Tire started selling sports equipment in 1935.
The former CEO of Pro Hockey Life described hockey as a heritage business that would support his strategy of becoming the authority in sports in Canada.
The SportChek and Atmosphere sporting goods chains were bought by Foranzi Group. In 2010 it signed a five-year deal with the NHL to be the league's official sporting goods retailer and an official partner of the All-Star games and Stanley Cup playoffs. The Canadian Tire Hockey School is a series of hockey camps for kids.
There were participants in the Canadian Tire Hockey School.
The photo was taken by Darren Brown.
The national Olympic and Paralympics committees collaborated with it. Canadian Tire bought the naming rights to the arena.
Winder said that Canadian Tire was at risk of being damaged by the Hockey Canada controversy. At the same time it cut ties with Hockey Canada, Canadian Tire announced that it would support a group founded by a former professional player.
Hockey is an important part of Canadian Tire's business and they had to condemn it first. They would lose the whole franchise if they didn't.
The stock price of Canadian Tire has plummeted since it peaked in May. In the most recent quarter, the company was able to increase sales despite the fastest inflation in four decades and a shift in consumer spending to online shopping.
In deciding how to respond to Hockey Canada, the company may have considered the sport's popularity among girls and women. Hockey Canada data shows that in 2020, there were 102,000 female players, a 30-per-cent increase from 2008, while the participation of boys and men has stopped.
It's important for the retailer to maintain its status as a steward of Canadian values and a positive relationship with the sport with which most Canadians identify because that identity is what distinguishes the company from competitors such as Walmart Inc. He said that an organization that doesn't seem to side with women who've experienced sexual violence is radioactive.
More than $3 billion was invested to improve its online and in-store businesses, as the company focused on making life better in Canada. Hutcheson said that the company did not want to allow the scandal to affect its growth because it had done well through the pandemic.
Hutcheson said that Canadian Tire wanted to be associated with who they were and who they wanted to be. It shows what their brand is about.
The email is bbbharti@postmedia.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
