RBC and the Canadian Olympic Committee Welcome Bell Media as New Partner of RBC Training Ground

Tags: @BellMediaPR, @RBC, @TeamCanada, @Equipe_Canada, @TeamCanadaPR

TORONTO (October 13, 2020) – RBC, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and Bell Media announced today a new partnership in the search for the next generation of Olympic hopefuls through the RBC Training Ground program. Now entering its sixth year, RBC Training Ground is a nationwide Olympic talent identification and athlete-funding program dedicated to finding and supporting Canada’s future Olympians. As the new premier media partner of RBC Training Ground, Bell Media will utilize its industry-leading multi-platform broadcast, digital media, and social reach to further amplify the program, including on-air integrations through customized athlete storytelling and interviews across TSN platforms, Crave, and CTV’s YOUR MORNING, THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW, THE SOCIAL, and more. Reaching Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast, the robust campaign strategy culminates with the National Final Event broadcast special produced in-house by TSN, following the incredible journeys of the athletes on their quest to become Canadian Olympic hopefuls. Beginning tomorrow (Wednesday, Oct. 14) and running until Tuesday, Dec. 1, athletes interested in participating can visit RBCTrainingGround.ca for free registration details. Athletes deemed to have high performance potential will be invited to complete sport-specific testing with National Sport Organization partners and be provided with the chance to receive funding and earn a potential spot on a Canadian National Team. “Storytelling is an integral component of RBC Training Ground, and we are excited to partner with Bell Media to share our program impact and athlete stories with Canadians across the country,” said Matt McGlynn, Vice President, Brand Marketing, RBC. “Together with our great partners at the Canadian Olympic Committee and Bell Media, we look forward to inspiring the athletic journeys of even more future Olympians in RBC Training Ground’s sixth year.” “The Canadian Olympic Committee is extremely excited that two of Team Canada’s Premier National Partners have come together to collaborate on a program that is incredibly important to us,” said Jacqueline Ryan, Chief Brand and Commercial Officer, Canadian Olympic Committee. “Now entering its sixth year, RBC Training Ground has proven to be widely successful and we have no doubt that the partnership with Bell Media will help increase visibility of the program and help attract top-tier talent across Canada.” “We are proud to partner with RBC and the Canadian Olympic Committee to expand RBC Training Ground’s search for the next great Canadian Olympic talents,” said Stewart Johnston, President, Media Sales and Marketing, Bell Media, and President of TSN. “By leveraging Bell Media’s extensive reach, we look forward to discovering and assisting Olympic hopefuls to achieve their dreams of representing Canada on the world’s biggest sporting stage.” Since its inception in 2016, RBC Training Ground, developed in partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Olympic Foundation, and with support from the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network, has enabled National Sport Organization partners to test the speed, power, strength and endurance of over 8,500 athletes. Several athletes who were discovered at RBC Training Ground events and supported as RBC ‘Future Olympians’ are now emerging as Tokyo 2020 medal hopefuls. World record-setting track cyclist and Tokyo 2020 medal hopeful, Kelsey Mitchell, was a university soccer player when she was discovered at an RBC Training Ground event in 2017.