Nike Permanently Ends Sponsorship of Hockey Canada, the Sportswear Brand Confirms

A Hockey Canada document is review by a member of Parliament during a House of Commons Committee on Canadian Heritage looking into safe sport in Canada on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Oct. 4, 2022. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

Nike confirmed it has permanently ended its sponsorship of Hockey Canada after putting a pause on its marketing support to the national sports body last year.

“Nike is no longer a sponsor of Hockey Canada,” reads a statement by the sportswear brand on July 17, though it did not mention the specific date when the partnership was ended.

“We will continue to provide on-ice product for Hockey Canada athletes as part of our partnership with the International Ice Hockey Federation, but our individual partnership with the federation has ended.”

Nike suspended its support of Hockey Canada in October 2022 after reports surfaced about how the hockey organization had dealt with past sexual assault allegations.

One case involved a woman who alleged that she was sexually assaulted by a number of players—some of whom played for Canada’s 2018 world junior men’s team—after a foundation gala in London, Ontario, in 2018.

It was reported Hockey Canada and the woman quietly settled a $3.55-million lawsuit out of court.

According to Hockey Canada’s website, Nike had been a premium marketing partner to the organization since 1999. The company was the last partner to suspend its sponsorship—among Tim Hortons, Esso, and Telus—when it made its decision last October.

“Hockey Canada is appreciative of the longstanding partnership it had with Nike for over two decades and respects their decision not to continue as a Hockey Canada partner,” said Esther Madziya, spokesperson of Hockey Canada, in a statement on July 17.

‘Create Positive Change’

Not all sponsors chose to end the relationship for good. In early July, Bauer Hockey—Hockey Canada’s lead equipment provider—reinstated the partnership after Hockey Canada appointed Katherine Henderson as its new president and chief executive officer.

Ms. Henderson has served more than seven years as CEO of Curling Canada, according to her LinkedIn profile.

“Katherine is an experienced executive who has led corporate turnarounds and balanced investing in grassroots programs with winning elite athletic competitions,” said Bauer Hockey in a news release on July 4.

“As much as we publicly recognized the serious challenges at Hockey Canada, we believe we now need to acknowledge the progress the organization has made in several key areas.”

The hockey brand had hit pause on its sponsorship in October 2022. With the new CEO taking the helm at Hockey Canada, the brand said it wanted to play a part to “help build a strategic plan that grows the game, prioritizes inclusion, and restores the trust of the Canadian people.”

Ms. Madziya said the restoration of funding from the federal government three months ago was also “a critical step” in helping Hockey Canada “create positive change.”

The move by Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge on April 16 came after Hockey Canada met three conditions she set for the organization.

The conditions included a commitment by Hockey Canada to become a full-signatory to Abuse-Free Sport and the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner, and also to start more frequent reporting to the federal government.

Hockey Canada also committed to review and implement recommendations from an independent governance review led by former Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell.

Ms. Madziya said her organization is open to exploring opportunities with new strategic partners. “[A]nd we continue to engage in encouraging discussions with current partners.”

Peter Wilson contributed to this report.