iSport Media and Management http://www.isportmedia.com Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:10:23 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 The World’s Best Curlers will compete for $670,000 in Prize Money The Capital One Grand Slam of Curling enters its second decade http://www.isportmedia.com/the-world%e2%80%99s-best-curlers-will-compete-for-670000-in-prize-money/ http://www.isportmedia.com/the-world%e2%80%99s-best-curlers-will-compete-for-670000-in-prize-money/#comments Fri, 28 Oct 2011 23:29:36 +0000 admin http://www.isportmedia.com/?p=261 TORONTO, October 28, 2011 – The World
Curling Players‟ Association and
iSport Media and

Management announced today the details of the
11th season of the Capital One Grand Slam

of Curling. Consisting of the four major events on the World Curling Tour, the „Slams‟ have

consistently presented the strongest fields in curling.

 

“We are thrilled to be entering our second decade
of the Capital One Grand Slam of
Curling,”

said Kevin Albrecht, CEO, iSport Media and Management. “I
believe the secret to the Slams

longevity has been the ability to present the
best curling fields in the world each and every year

and the best curlers inevitably produce the best
curling in the world.”

 

Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One
Grand Slam of Curling is a series of four
elite

international events providing the largest prize
purse in curling, $670,000.

 

Last season, Team Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Alta)
won The Swiss Chalet National and an

unprecedented 7th GP Car and Home Players’
Championship on his way to capturing
the

prestige
year end Capital One Cup
and the $50,000 bonus that goes along with it. Martin has

won 17 major titles in his illustrious career, one
more than tennis superstar Roger Federer and

only one behind the legendary Jack Nicklaus for
the most major victories in any sport.

 

“The Grand Slam events have been an important
part of my career success over the last 10

years,”
said 2010 Vancouver Olympic Gold Medalist, Kevin
Martin. “The curling is always so

good that you can never take anything for
granted and that helped me get to the
next level.

Hopefully, our team has a few more wins in us as it would be very
special to secure major wins

18 and 19.”

 

The 2011-12 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling
series will begin with the GP Car and Home

World Cup of Curling at the Essar Centre in Sault Ste Marie, Ont. from November 2-6, 2011.

The K-Rock Centre in Kingston, Ont. will
host the series‟ second
event, the
BDO Canadian

Open, from December 14-18, 2011 while
Dawson Creek‟s EnCana Events Centre will be the

site of the third event, The Swiss Chalet National
from January 25-29, 2012.

 

The 2011-12 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling
concludes with the GP Car and Home

Players’
Championship, an event featuring separate men‟s and women‟s draws. The

announcement for the 2012 GP Car and Home
Players’ Championship will take place later in

October.



“All of
our teams know that the Slams are so difficult to win,” said Pierre Charette, President of

the
World Curling Players‟ Association. “You
always have to be at the top of your game
as there

are no
easy games at a Grand Slam event.”

 

CBC
Sports will air live playoff coverage
of the first three 2011-12 Capital
One Grand Slam of

Curling
events as well as the men‟s
and women‟s finals of the 2012 GP Car and Home

Players’ Championship.

 

 

About iSport Media and Management:

iSport
Media and Management is Canada’s
leading sports Digital Media and
Event Sponsorship

Company. iSport specializes in:

• Leading edge digital
media strategies and operations

• Event development,
execution and sponsorship sales

• Sport Federation sponsorship sales and strategic
counsel.

For
more information visit www.isportmedia.com.

 

About the World Curling Players’ Association:

The WCPA represents the elite curlers of the
world and its Executive Board consists of eight

elected
members that include a minimum of three Canadian men and two Canadian women

representatives,
as well as one member from the United States along with one member from

Europe. The final board position is awarded to the
candidate who receives the highest

remaining
vote total from the player elections.

 

-30-

 

For
additional information, please contact:

 

Kevin Albrecht

CEO

Capital
One Grand Slam of Curling

(416)
593-4273 ext: 226

kevin@isportmedia.com

 

Pierre
Charette

President

World
Curling Players‟ Association

(819)
775-7578

pckurl@yahoo.ca

]]> http://www.isportmedia.com/the-world%e2%80%99s-best-curlers-will-compete-for-670000-in-prize-money/feed/ 0 Christopher Plummer And The Entire Original Creative Team Of Barrymore Reunite At Toronto’s Historic Elgin Theatre For 30 Performances Only http://www.isportmedia.com/christopher-plummer-and-the-entire-original-creative-team-of-barrymore-reunite-at-torontos-historic-elgin-theatre-for-30-performances-only/ http://www.isportmedia.com/christopher-plummer-and-the-entire-original-creative-team-of-barrymore-reunite-at-torontos-historic-elgin-theatre-for-30-performances-only/#comments Thu, 27 Jan 2011 11:47:25 +0000 admin http://www.isportmedia.com/?p=222 Christopher Plummer’s Tony Award-winning tour-de-force is an unforgettable portrayal of legendary actor, John Barrymore, a man of colossal talent and contradictions, and one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of all time. Set in 1942, the final year of John Barrymore’s life, BARRYMORE takes place on the stage of a Broadway theatre, where the actor is struggling to recreate his performance in the title role of Shakespeare’s Richard III.

http://www.barrymoretheplay.com/press/

]]> http://www.isportmedia.com/christopher-plummer-and-the-entire-original-creative-team-of-barrymore-reunite-at-torontos-historic-elgin-theatre-for-30-performances-only/feed/ 0 Battle Of The Blades – Learn What Happens After The Ice Melts http://www.isportmedia.com/battle-of-the-blades-learn-what-happens-after-the-ice-melts/ http://www.isportmedia.com/battle-of-the-blades-learn-what-happens-after-the-ice-melts/#comments Mon, 06 Dec 2010 11:48:42 +0000 admin http://www.isportmedia.com/?p=226 It was a season of blood, sweat and tears – eight weeks of stunning performances, incredible showmanship, thrilling victories and heart-breaking defeats. In a one-hour special that closed out the season, the cast of 2010′s super-hit Battle of the Blades gathered together for the very last time to relive the laughter and the tears in After the Ice Melts.

http://www.cbc.ca/battle/

]]> http://www.isportmedia.com/battle-of-the-blades-learn-what-happens-after-the-ice-melts/feed/ 0 Power Wheelchair Hockey Shoots For Live Broadcast http://www.isportmedia.com/power-wheelchair-hockey-shoots-for-live-broadcast/ http://www.isportmedia.com/power-wheelchair-hockey-shoots-for-live-broadcast/#comments Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:44:57 +0000 admin http://www.isportmedia.com/?p=197 Toronto Power Wheelchair Hockey League (TPWHL) is bringing players together for a

full weekend of competitive Hockey. What makes this event special is that for the first

time, games will be broadcasted LIVE on Gretky.com/tpwhl/ through web streaming video.

This will allow teams to play for a national audience and will allow fans to tune in to

support their favourite North American TPWHL teams in real time.

The TPWHL is for kids and young adults with various disabilities who have limited upper

body strength and/or mobility. The league works hard towards physical and emotional

growth by teaching the game of hockey. This builds players into strong leaders in

sportsmanship and team spirit, regardless of their skill level.

Gretzky.com is very pleased to present this amateur sport live online and hopes this

will lead to stronger fan interaction and greater excitement for the sport of hockey.

TPWHL provides the opportunity for families to come together to share their own

experiences and offer support to one another. The tournament runs from August 6-10th

so come join in on the fun this weekend at Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St, 2nd floor

in Kerr Hall West.

For more information call 416-690-1412 or email: torontopwhl@gmail.com

]]> http://www.isportmedia.com/power-wheelchair-hockey-shoots-for-live-broadcast/feed/ 1 Northlands welcomes Honda Canada on board as title sponsor of the 2010 Honda Indy Edmonton http://www.isportmedia.com/northlands-welcomes-honda-canada-on-board-as-title-sponsor-of-the-2010-honda-indy-edmonton/ http://www.isportmedia.com/northlands-welcomes-honda-canada-on-board-as-title-sponsor-of-the-2010-honda-indy-edmonton/#comments Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:23:43 +0000 admin http://www.isportmedia.com/?p=174 MEDIA RELEASE
March 25, 2010

EDMONTON, AB – Northlands is pleased to welcome Honda Canada on board as the title sponsor for the 2010 Honda Indy Edmonton, July 23-25. The announcement was made earlier today at a media conference attended by Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel, Northlands President Ken Knowles, and Honda Canada Inc. Executive Vice-President Jerry Chenkin.

“Northlands is very pleased to welcome a national sponsorship partner like Honda Canada as the title sponsor for the 2010 Honda Indy Edmonton,” said Ken Knowles, Northlands President. “Honda Canada is a national leader in supporting innovation and community involvement in motor sports across Canada. As one of Edmonton’s leading international sporting events and tourism destinations, the 2010 Honda Indy Edmonton will provide an incredible international platform to showcase this new sponsor partnership.”

“We will be working closely with Northlands and the event sponsors to ensure the Honda Indy Edmonton remains as the largest motorsports event in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest for this year and beyond,” said Jerry Chenkin, executive vice president of Honda Canada Inc.

Soichiro Honda’s love of victory helped launch a small company into a racing giant. He possessed an uncanny ability to develop technology for racing and adapt it to the consumer market. At age 22, and drawing upon his skills as a mechanic, Mr. Honda developed a V-8 Curtis Wright aircraft engine to race. He took the wheel himself that year and set a Japanese speed record hitting 75 mph. Honda Racing was born. Soichiro Honda began to tackle racing from the development standpoint, producing some of the finest engines ever to race.

Honda Canada’s commitment to racing extended well beyond international borders, and could be found in communities across Canada. The company made a visible commitment to ‘grassroots racing initiatives’ for years as evidenced through the popular Honda Michelin Challenge that ran for 17 straight years in the 1980s and ’90s.

Auto racing fans across North America get to see the best in open-wheel racing right here in Edmonton as the Honda Indy Edmonton takes to the track from July 23-25. Three-day ticket packages for the Honda Indy Edmonton are on sale now and are available online at www.edmontonindy.com or at www.ticketmaster.ca.

Northlands rocks Edmonton with 2,500 events each year that attract over 4 million visitors to Alberta’s Capital City. Think, Canadian Finals Rodeo, Farmfair International, Capital EX, Honda Indy Edmonton, the best of horse racing, headliner concerts, international events and all the trade shows you can handle. Visit northlands.com to find out more.

Media Contacts:
Brian Leadbetter
Director, Government & Community Relations
Northlands
Ph: (780) 471-7295
Cell: (780) 902-3723
E-mail: bleadbetter@northlands.com

Sid Priddle
Media Relations Manager
Honda Indy Edmonton
Cell: (780) 886-4929
E-mail: spriddle@northlands.com

Richard Jacobs
Honda Canada Inc.
(416) 287-4708

]]> http://www.isportmedia.com/northlands-welcomes-honda-canada-on-board-as-title-sponsor-of-the-2010-honda-indy-edmonton/feed/ 0 Grand Slam of Curling http://www.isportmedia.com/grand-slam-of-curling/ http://www.isportmedia.com/grand-slam-of-curling/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:25:32 +0000 admin http://new.isportonline.com/wordpress/?p=67 iSport and CBC Sports have partnered with the World Curling Players Association to produce the Grand Slam of Curling series for eight consecutive years (2006 to 2014). By controlling all aspects of the series – from event management, broadcast production to sponsorship sales, we have developed a new, 360° sponsorship strategy that delivers unprecedented value for sponsors.]]> Challenge:
The World Curling Tour was founded in 1992 with the simple philosophy of organizing events into a tour and have a Championship consisting of the top performers from these events. Although a good philosophy, it missed a key-part to making the property a success…sponsors and broadcast.

Solution:
iSport partnered with the World Curling Tour and the World Curling Players Association to deliver the Grand Slam of Curling for eight consecutive years (2006 to 2014) and usher in a new, 360°sponsorship strategy with CBC Sports that delivers unprecedented value for sponsors.

Result:
With the ability to offer companies affiliation with the world’s top curling athletes on a national scale, they have been able to get into the hearts and homes of curling fans across the country. With the audience (in-venue, national television and online) growing with each event, iSport’s stronghold on the sport of curling is only increasing. At iSport, our goal is to take curling to the next level, and with the help of our dedicated partners, players and fans we become a step closer each day.

www.grandslamofcurling.com

]]> http://www.isportmedia.com/grand-slam-of-curling/feed/ 0 Battle of the Blades http://www.isportmedia.com/battle-of-the-blades/ http://www.isportmedia.com/battle-of-the-blades/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:09:08 +0000 admin http://new.isportonline.com/wordpress/?p=111 In recent years, there has been a need to increase the interest and viewership of figure skating. Since the glory days of the 1990s the sport has endured greater scrutiny with the judging scandel of the 2002 Winter Olympics as well as a new but confusing judging system. The sport however still has huge potential and iSport CEO, Kevin Albrecht sought to find a solution to rekindle the love that Canadians have for the sport.]]> Challenge:
In recent years, there has been a need to increase the  interest and viewership of figure skating. Since the glory days of the 1990s the sport has endured greater scrutiny with the judging scandel of the 2002 Winter Olympics as well as a new but confusing  judging system. The sport however still has huge potential and iSport CEO, Kevin Albrecht sought to find a solution to rekindle the love that Canadians have for the sport.

Solution:
After watching an episode of Dancing with the Stars, Kevin Albrecht and Sandra Bezic thought of a new television series called Battle of the Blades. The show would pair legendary hockey stars like Tie Domi and Craig Simpson with some of the most graceful figure skaters to step on the ice like Shae-Lynn Bourne and Jamie Sale. A seven-week partnership with CBC would allow the Canadian audience to vote on their favorite pairs as they were challenged every week with a new and exciting figure skating routine.

Result:
With hosts, Ron MacLean of Hockey Night in Canada and Kurt Browning, a legend on the ice himself, the show was a rating hit with an average of three million viewers per week. It became a truly Canadian hit series that was able to bring families together and sparked a renewed interest in the world of figure skating. The searies has been renewed for a second season.

www.cbc.ca/battle

]]> http://www.isportmedia.com/battle-of-the-blades/feed/ 0 Patrick Chan http://www.isportmedia.com/patrick-chan/ http://www.isportmedia.com/patrick-chan/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:15:11 +0000 admin http://new.isportonline.com/wordpress/?p=101 Challenge: Take a talented but raw young figure skater, Patrick Chan, and help him maximize his full potential of realizing his Olympic dreams while building his personal brand. Create and provide a new digital strategy that will promote him through a strong web presence and through social media networks.]]> Challenge:
Take a talented but raw young figure skater, Patrick Chan, and help him maximize his full potential of realizing his skating dreams while building his personal brand.  Create and provide a new digital strategy that will promote him through a strong web presence and through social media networks.

Solution:
iSport focused on promoting Patrick through different media platforms such as a new website at PatrickChan.ca, unique video content that shows the quirky but engaging personality of Patrick, as well as utilizing social media networks to both promote his growing career and to build the foundation of his brand as Patrick Chan.

Result:
PatrickChan.ca is currently a successful athlete website that provides the building block for future opportunities.  Visitors have increased exponentially since the website’s launch.  Videos and Blogs continue to attract traffic as fans from all around the world support the future success of Patrick Chan and his quest for gold.  The use of social networks allows fans and supporters to feel like they play a more active role in Patrick’s success.

www.patrickchan.ca

]]> http://www.isportmedia.com/patrick-chan/feed/ 0 Wayne Gretzky http://www.isportmedia.com/gretzky/ http://www.isportmedia.com/gretzky/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:11:02 +0000 admin http://new.isportonline.com/wordpress/?p=98 Challenge: Create a platform that integrates the many Wayne Gretzky businesses under one Gretzky.com domain. Provide internet support and consultation for Wayne Gretzky brands such as Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic, WG Authentic, Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery, Wayne Gretzky's Restaurant and the Wayne Gretzky Foundation.]]> Challenge:
Create a platform that integrates the many Wayne Gretzky businesses under one Gretzky.com domain. Provide internet support and consultation for Wayne Gretzky brands such as the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic presented by Samsung, WG Authentic, Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery, Wayne Gretzky’s Restaurant and the Wayne Gretzky Foundation.

Solution:
iSport focused on e-commerce support for WG Authentic, event management tools for the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic, a dedicated micro-site for the Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery and video produced content needs for sponsors including Samsung Canada and Ford Motor Company of Canada.

Result:
Gretzky.com continues to be a tool based web site for Wayne Gretzky Enterprises. Highlights: WG Authentic offers a variety of high-end sports memorabilia through Gretzky.com/shop, Gretzky.com assists with managing over 700 volunteers for the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic and the site is home for the Live From Wayne Gretzky’s podcasts featuring host Rod Black.

www.gretzky.com

]]> http://www.isportmedia.com/gretzky/feed/ 0 Skatebuzz.com http://www.isportmedia.com/skatebuzz/ http://www.isportmedia.com/skatebuzz/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:35:39 +0000 admin http://new.isportonline.com/wordpress/?p=39 Skatebuzz.com is a leading destination for all fans and participants of the sport figure skating. Launching in conjunction with Skate Canada, Skatebuzz.com features exclusive content from both national events in Canada and international competitions provided by the ISU. Along with offering the opportunity for fans to interact with athletes and other mover-shakers from the skating world. Created to elevate the sport of figure skating, Skatebuzz.com gives viewers a chance to see their sport in a new perspective. Fans will be able to get up close and personal from the way athletes themselves see them with exclusive behind the scenes content. Users will also have direct insight and access to live events and competitions from within Canada and abroad. Skatebuzz.com is a joint venture between Skate Canada and iSport Media.]]> Challenge:
Develop a new portal with client Skate Canada that elevates the sport of figure skating within Canada and internationally. Build a digital platform that provides tools for Skate Canada to better connect with figure skating fans and to better showcase the stars of their sport. At the same time provide a new outlet for Skate Canada’s loyal sponsors and advertisers.

Solution:
iSport built a customized CMS system for Skate Canada to control the web site portal: Skatebuzz.com. The technical platform provides easy to use tools for posting video, articles and other web 2.0 technologies. Skate Canada as well required technical support allowing integration with other 3rd party properties like Skate TV, You Be The Judge, various contest promotions and Skate Canada’s online store.

Result:
Launching in conjunction with Skate Canada, Skatebuzz.com features exclusive content from both national events in Canada and international competitions provided by the ISU. Plus, the opportunity for fans to interact with athletes and other mover and shakers from the skating world.

www.skatebuzz.com

]]> http://www.isportmedia.com/skatebuzz/feed/ 0