• by Tanya Gazdik , October 25, 2023

More than a dozen sponsors are planning activations around the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic.

Some new partners activating at this year’s event are Purex, Hyundai, Kal Tire, WestJet, CAT (Caterpillar), Truly Hard Seltzer and Play Alberta (Alberta Lottery and Gaming Commission). 

The outdoor game between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers will be held at at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton at 5 p.m. MT on Oct. 29. It will be broadcast on Sportsnet, TVA Sports, TBS, and Max.

Tim Hortons has been an NHL partner since December 2010, and this will be the 6th time the QSR is title sponsor of Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic.

Hockey is “intrinsically tied” to the QSR’s DNA, Zack Pryzbek, director of sponsorship at Tim Hortons, tells Marketing Daily. The Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic is a “must-watch” event for many hockey fans, he adds.

The entire province of Alberta currently has Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic branded hot beverage cups, and select local Edmonton restaurants have Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic donuts available for a limited time.

Fans attending the WestJet NHL Fan Park will also have the opportunity to make their Tims Hockey Challenge picks for a chance to win a 2024 Hyundai Kona with free Esso gas for a year.

The even offers a “big-time” marketing platform for partners to activate around to create compelling moments for fans, said Sophie Kotsopoulos, NHL vice president, partnership marketing.

“This year, we have more partners activating,” Kotsopoulos tells Marketing Daily. “Our job at the League from a partnership marketing perspective is to help deliver creative and impactful fan engagement activation opportunities, such as the WestJet NHL Fan Park, so that our partners can reach our passionate fans in meaningful ways that leave a lasting and memorable impact.”

One new partner, Hyundai (the “official Vehicle of the NHL” in Canada) will invite consumers into a branded tent at the WestJet NHL Fan Park to experience the All-Electric Ioniq 5 SUV, test their skills at a pinball-oriented hockey shot activation, and enter a contest for a chance to win tickets to the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic.