True North Sports & Entertainment Limited announced today that the Winnipeg Free Press has been confirmed as a Founding Partner in MTS Centre, Winnipeg's new downtown entertainment and sports complex.
The Winnipeg Free Press, founded in 1872, is the oldest newspaper in Western Canada. The Free Press newspaper publishes seven days a week, serving Winnipeg and Manitoba with an average seven-day circulation of approximately 128,000.
True North president and CEO Jim Ludlow welcomed the affiliation with the Free Press. "We wanted a media partner with deep ties to the community among our key business partners, and the Free Press was the first and obvious choice. It is not only an historic, vibrant local business, it has media reach that can't be matched in Manitoba."
As a prominent part of the deal announced today, the second level concourse of MTS Centre will be named the "Winnipeg Free Press Concourse". The concourse encircles the building at the skywalk level and is the main access point to the complex from the public walkways that connect the new entertainment centre with other downtown buildings.
Free Press Publisher Murdoch Davis described the partnership as another extension of the newspaper's involvement in the community. "MTS Centre will be a key element in downtown revitalization which is a critical matter for this community. The sports and entertainment centre will be a focal point for major events for decades to come and we want to be involved," he said.
The 10-year renewable agreement also gives the Free Press a number of exclusive advertising and promotional rights within the building for sports events, concerts, trade shows and other business activities. Terms of the agreement will remain confidential due to the competitive nature of the related businesses.
The Free Press joins Coca Cola Bottling Company as a Founding Partner of the facility. True North expects to announce several other founding partner agreements in the near future. MTS was announced as the naming rights partner in December 2003.
