5 To Watch - Canada's Sports Business Awards
New Co-Presenting Partnership with Canadian Tire and TSN
TORONTO, Oct. 20, 2023 /CNW/ - The 5 to Watch (5TW) - Canada's Sports Business Awards is celebrating its 12th annual awards in 2023, with a series of new announcements. The event recognizes five of the most influential and accomplished Canadians under the age of 40 in the business of sport. This ground-breaking event has become a "must-attend" within the Canadian sports business industry and sets the standard for identifying the next generation of industry leaders.
This year, 5TW: Canada's Sports Business Awards is pleased to announce a new partnership with Canadian Tire and TSN, as co-presenting sponsors of the event.
"Supporting Canadian Sports, from kids to legends, is one of the ways we work to strengthen our communities and make life in Canada better. We have a great history with the 5 to Watch event and are excited to extend that relationship further and share the co-presenting position with TSN. The 5 to Watch - Canada's Sports Business Awards is about the future leaders in sport, off the court, the ice and the playing field, and we are so proud to support such an important initiative," said Kim Saunders, Vice President, ESG Strategy, Community & Sport Partnerships at Canadian Tire Corporation.
At the centre of this event is a commitment to student awards and bursaries. "TSN was one of the founding partners when the 5 To Watch Awards was launched in 2012, and Canadian Tire has been a long-time premier partner. The 5 To Watch Awards signifies our dedication to honoring the rising stars in the Canadian sports business landscape. Notably, the awards generate student bursaries through our valued sponsors, amplifying our impact on the future of this industry," said Mike Fenton, Co-Chair of the 5TW program.
5 TO WATCH: CANADA'S SPORTS BUSINESS AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR 2023
Presented by GBC's Centre for Business, together with the event's corporate partners, the awards recognize executives who have demonstrated significant success early in their career and are poised to become the next generation of industry leaders. Winners will be honoured at an awards ceremony that takes place October 25th, 2023.
Winners are selected based on a variety of criteria including leadership, workplace accomplishments including relevant success metrics or examples of entrepreneurship and creative problem solving as well as mentorship.
The 2023 5 to Watch Award recipients:
Ashley Curran, Associate Vice President, Sport Partnerships & Community Impact at Canadian Tire Corporation
Alex Wong Vice President, Strategy & Analytics at Toronto Blue Jays
Diana Matheson, Co-Founder & CEO at Project 8 Sports Inc.
Kevin Blue, Chief Sport Officer at Golf Canada
Mike Samardzic, Partner XMC - the Official Sponsorship and Experiential Marketing™ Agency
And Alumni Achievement Winner Marin Hickox, Vice President Women & Girls Hockey at Hockey Canada.
Nathalie Cook – Canadian Women & Sport Disruptor Award recipients:
Leah MacNab, SVP, at NBA Canada
Jayna Hefford, SVP, Hockey Operations at Professional Women's Hockey League
Diana Matheson, Co-Founder and CEO at Project 8 Sports Inc.
Chris Lang Lifetime Impact Award recipient:
Tracy Wilson
GBC's Centre for Business launched the awards in 2012 in partnership with the Globe & Mail and a group of dedicated alumni. The awards are voted on by a panel of sports industry executives, including representatives from Premier Partners: Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Globe and Mail, REVXM, FanDuel and co-presenting sponsors Canadian Tire and TSN.
More than 350 sports business professionals attend the annual event, to network and celebrate the winners. All proceeds from the awards show benefit student awards and bursaries at George Brown's Centre for Business. To date, 5TW has raised $400k+ and annually supports 10 student bursaries. For more information – www.5towatch.ca
About George Brown College
Toronto's George Brown College is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples.
George Brown prepares innovative, adaptable graduates with the skills to thrive in a rapidly changing job market. With three campuses in the downtown core, the college blends theory with experiential learning, applied research, and entrepreneurship opportunities. George Brown offers 164 full-time programs and 180 continuing education certificates/designations across a wide variety of professions to more than 27,100 full-time students, including 29 percent international students, and receives more than 58,000 continuing education registrations annually. Students can earn certificates, diplomas, graduate certificates, apprenticeships, and degrees. www.georgebrown.ca
SOURCE George Brown College
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