Air Canada, a major sponsor of the NHL, is threatening to discontinue sponsorship if something is not done about the almost omnipresent and widely debated headshot rules. Just earlier this week, in a game between Boston and Montreal, a player was ran into the boards, eventually suffering a broken vertabrae which may lead to paralysis or even death. Furthermore, how many other sponsors will follow in Air Canada’s steps, if the NHL in fact does not respond?
Now, although hockey is suppposedly the #4 sport in North America (not Canada), it still demands a huge market, and sponsorship opportunities are rare and fought over. Just how badly do serious injuries affect Air Canada’s image so that it’s threatening to pull out?
Are they scared that consumers will view the NHL’s “dangerous” game in the same light as Air Canada’s own services? Or is this just a matter of ethics, and doing what’s right?
The hockey community awaits with bated breath.