Canadian Tire Hits 50/50 Gender Parity in Sports Sponsorship…

Event summary

Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC) achieved its 2023 commitment to allocate 50% of sports sponsorship investment to women's professional sport, a first among major Canadian companies.
Launched national campaign 'We'll Make a Fan Out of You' to boost visibility and fandom for women's sports.
Became presenting partner of PWHL on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada, expanding elite women's hockey reach.
Campaign follows 2015 initiative addressing high dropout rates among girls in sports, evolving into broader Women's Sport Initiative.

The big picture

Canadian Tire's milestone represents a strategic shift in sports sponsorship, moving beyond financial investment to focus on visibility and fandom growth for women's sports. This aligns with broader industry trends toward gender equity in sports and reflects CTC's longstanding role as a connector between Canadians and sports at all levels. The campaign's success could set a new standard for corporate engagement in women's professional sports.

What we're watching

Campaign Effectiveness: Whether 'We'll Make a Fan Out of You' can translate sponsorship investment into sustained fan growth and media visibility for women's sports.
Industry Leadership: How CTC's 50/50 milestone will influence other major Canadian corporations to follow similar gender parity commitments in sports sponsorship.
Ecosystem Strengthening: The pace at which increased visibility and investment will strengthen the entire women's sports ecosystem, from professional leagues to grassroots participation.