OK Tire and the CFL Grow the Game Through Touchdowns for Communities
November 4, 2022 – Canadian Football League (CFL) News Release
TORONTO – The Canadian Football League (CFL) and its Official Auto and Commercial Vehicle Service and Tire Retail Partner – OK Tire – are teaming up to grow the game from coast to coast. The Touchdowns for Communities initiative will see up to $50,000 donated to support the development of football at the grassroots level across the nation.
Throughout the Grey Cup Playoffs, each touchdown scored by the home side will result in a donation of $4,000 for Canada’s ten Provincial Football Organizations. The first round of the postseason will be played on November 6 with the Montreal Alouettes hosting the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Eastern Semi-Final at Percival Molson Stadium, and the BC Lions welcoming the Calgary Stampeders to BC Place for the Western Semi-Final. The Toronto Argonauts and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will host the winners of the Semi-Finals in the Division Finals on November 13.
All touchdowns scored in the 109th Grey Cup from Saskatchewan’s Mosaic Stadium on November 20 will result in a $4,000 donation to the initiative. The sold-out championship contest kicks off at 5 p.m. local/6 p.m. ET, and will be broadcast on TSN and RDS – Canada’s home of the CFL.
“On behalf of the ten Provincial Football Organizations, we couldn’t be more grateful for the support of the CFL and OK Tire,” said Aaron Geisler, Executive Director of Football Ontario. “These generous donations will open new opportunities for Canadian youth and families to engage with the game, while paving a path forward for the Canadian football community as a whole, through program development, improved infrastructure and enhanced participant experiences.”
The allocations of the donations will be made at the discretion of the individual provincial organizations, but all funds will go towards grassroots program development, enhancing non-contact football programming, officiating development, and increasing the capacity and reach of girls’ and women’s programming.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled by this next step in our partnership with OK Tire,” said CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie. “Their passion for our game, their love for our league, and their tremendous dedication to the communities in which their dealers live and make a positive impact, are nothing short of incredible.
“Touchdowns for Communities is about the future of our great game. It’s about the next generations of players. It’s for new Canadians looking for a sport to call their own. It creates pathways to learn and grow with the game. Whichever side you’re cheering for during Playoffs and Grey Cup, each touchdown scored is a win for the Canadian Football Community.”
OK Tire President and CEO, Jim Bethune, echoed the Commissioner’s sentiments when reflecting on the potential impact of the initiative, and added, “Making a difference and improving the lives of those who live in the communities we serve has always been a top priority for OK Tire. A natural fit for us, this cherished Canadian pastime has deep roots at both the national and local level. Working together with the CFL to support Touchdowns for Communities gives us an opportunity to get involved, connect with our communities across the country, give back to the game, and make a positive difference for those who love the sport as much as we do.”
In addition to Touchdowns for Communities, OK Tire is the title sponsor of the CFL’s annual slate of holiday games on Labour Day Weekend, and lends its support for the league’s East Coast classic – Touchdown Atlantic. The OK Tire Community Tour crossed the nation throughout the regular season, delivering the Grey Cup trophy to eight OK Tire stores to celebrate and promote the game.
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