Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) enters into multi-year partnership with Ottawa Senators and Maple
Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. (MLSE), and will invest more than $1.5M
to increase youth access to hockey, basketball, and soccer in communities across Ontario.
Milk becomes official rehydration and recovery drink of the Ottawa Senators as part of a partnership
to promote and support youth sport across Ontario.
DFO and MLSE to work together to develop new sport events and opportunities
for youth in Ontario.
MISSISSAUGA, OTTAWA, TORONTO - DFO (@OntarioMilk) has partnered with the Ottawa
Senators (@Senators) and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) which includes the
Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC, and Toronto Argonauts, as part of a multiyear
commitment to making sports more accessible for young Ontario athletes. In addition to
promoting the proven benefits of milk, the partnerships will focus on advancing grassroots and
community sport initiatives and developing new sporting events and opportunities for youth at
the community level.
DFO will work with both the Ottawa Senators and MLSE on custom pro and grassroots
activations, promotions, and youth engagement opportunities to fully integrate sports, healthy
lifestyle education, and food literacy activities in the community. Beyond partnership and
promotion, all three organizations are committed to bringing real and meaningful sport and
engagement opportunities to their fans and communities.
Ralph Dietrich, DFO Chair, says “the partnership perfectly integrates with the values and efforts
of Ontario dairy farmers in their local communities. The campaign is a grassroots effort that
brings local communities together around a common vision: healthy, active lifestyles and
opportunities for youth. This is something Ontario dairy farmers believe in and something the
partnership with the Ottawa Senators and MLSE can help us build on.”
Graham Lloyd, DFO General Manager and CEO, has played hockey his whole life and continues
to play and coach up to this day. “I’ve seen personally both the need and the benefits of
reducing barriers to entry for sport for young people, and the positive effects of sport
experiences that last a lifetime. DFO is proud to partner with the Ottawa Senators and MLSE to
extend our common perspective and we look forward to working together to help get more
kids into sport, while recognizing a healthy, nutritious lifestyle with dairy. There is so much
beyond partnership we can do together as a provincial team.”
"We are delighted to become a Dairy Farmers of Ontario Partner," said Mark Bonneau, Ottawa
Senators senior vice-president, corporate sales. "Whether through our Sensplex programs or
our broader community engagement, improving accessibility to sport for youth in the National
Capital region is our top priority. This partnership puts us in the best possible position to
sharpen that focus."
”MLSE strives to enhance the fan experience in and outside the arena through strategic and
engaging partnerships,” says Jeff Deline, Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships. “Our
work with Dairy Farmers of Ontario will help us reach our young fans through sport initiatives
and create a new generation of athletes.”
Planned activations of DFO’s Recharge With Milk (www.RechargeWithMilk.ca) and Stay Real
With Milk banners with the Ottawa Senators will promote milk as part of a highly effective
component of a healthy and athletic lifestyle, and will include special segments with the Ottawa
Senators’ Strength and Conditioning Coach, Chris Schwarz, in-stadium and in-game promotions
and activations, support for the Bell Capital Cup tournament, Fanfest event support, and instadia
culinary activations.
The DFO-MLSE program will feature in-game events and promotions, new and ground-breaking
original content, and efforts at integrating resources to introduce new youth tournaments to
Ontario and help amplify exciting MLSE grassroots basketball and soccer events. In-stadium
signage will also be visible at Maple Leafs, Raptors, Toronto FC, and Toronto Argonauts games.
Source : Dairy Farmers of Ontario