Canadian sport property now available
Only in Canada—and in the sport of curling—would a departing major event sponsor make a news story.
But this is curling, and specifically The Brier, otherwise known as the Canadian men’s curling championship. And this is Tim Hortons we’re talking about, too.
Curling Canada announced today that it is seeking expressions of interest for the opportunity to become the title sponsor for the Brier, starting in 2024.
The 18th Tim Hortons Brier takes place next March in London, Ont. The famed coffee and donuts restaurant chain—now with a varied menu and owned by a Brazil-backed dual U.S.-Canadian company—first sponsored the Brier in 2005 and had been a Curling Canada partner since 1996.
Curling Canada reports the 10-day tournament sports property has an average audience reach of 6.5 million, with more than 70 hours of national broadcast coverage and an average minute audience (for the championship final) that can exceed 1 million viewers.
“We thank Tim Hortons for its longstanding commitment to promoting curling in Canada and after the 2023 Brier – scheduled for March 3-12 at Budweiser Gardens in London, Ont. – we will continue to work with Tims on supporting the sport at the youth, grassroots and community level through regional marketing and sponsorship commitments,” said Katherine Henderson, Chief Executive Officer of Curling Canada.
“We’re excited to begin the process of searching for a new partner to be the Title Sponsor for the Brier, the world’s most famous and iconic national curling championship, starting in 2024.”
Tim Hortons also served as the title sponsor for the Canadian (Olympic) Curling Trials, the events that determined Canada’s four-player curling teams for the Winter Olympics, from 2005 through 2021.
A Curling Canada news release stated that Tim Hortons isn’t departing the “Roaring Game” entirely.
“For the past 20 years, Tim Hortons and our restaurant owners have been proud to support Curling Canada and sponsor this iconic and world-class sporting event in Canada,” said Hope Bagozzi, Chief Marketing Officer of Tim Hortons. “And we look forward to continuing to introduce the game to new curlers and support curling programs in communities all across Canada.”
Since the event’s inception in 1927, the Brier has been associated with just four sponsors: Macdonald Tobacco, Labatt Breweries, Nokia and Tim Hortons.
The 2022 Scotties Tournament of Hearts marked the 41st consecutive year of Kruger Products sponsorship of Canada’s national women’s championship.