Community Wins the Opportunity to Host an NHL®Pre-Season Game and $150,000 in Arena Upgrades
PITTSBURGH & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 14, 2018--
Kraft Heinz is thrilled to announce Clinton Arena in Clinton, N.Y. is
the winner of KraftHockeyville™USA 2018. After weeks of
rallying and online voting, Clinton rallied together to prove exactly
why they are the most spirited hockey community in America. The KraftHockeyville™
USA contest, now in its fourth year and in partnership with the National
Hockey League (NHL®) and the National Hockey League Players’
Association (NHLPA), is proud to award Clinton Arena in Clinton, N.Y. an
opportunity to host an NHL®Pre-Season Game and $150,000 in
rink upgrades.
Clinton Arena is a staple of the local hockey community in Clinton, N.Y.
After suffering a fire in 1949 and rebuilding from scratch six years
later, this beloved gem has served generations of young hockey players
for nearly 70 years. Cementing its history, Clinton Arena was proudly
listed on the National Historic Register in 2010. While the venue still
has many of its original fixtures intact today, the prize money from KraftHockeyville™ USA will go toward improvements to a number of
features, including the arena’s roof, locker room and seating.
“After an exciting face-off between our top four contenders, we’re
thrilled to award Clinton the title of ‘KraftHockeyville™USA
2018,’” said Michelle St. Jacques, head of brand marketing and R&D.
“Clinton brought to life the essence of this program – both on and off
the rink – and showed inspiring passion to rally their community. We’re
excited to celebrate this win with them later this year.”
Rinks from across the country participated in this year’s bid for the
title of “KraftHockeyville™USA 2018.” The runner-up,
Brandon Valley in Brandon, S.D., will receive $30,000 to use toward rink
upgrades, and George’s Pond at Hirsch Coliseum in Shreveport, La. and
Memorial Sports Center in Middlebury, Vt. will each receive $10,000.
In addition to the rink upgrades – and with the support of Kraft Heinz –
NHLPA Goals & Dreams, the players’ charitable grassroots hockey program,
will donate new hockey equipment to select Kraft Hockeyville™ USA
communities, giving more disadvantaged youth the opportunity to play
hockey. These donations continue the work of the players’ charitable
initiative which for more than 18 years has assisted grassroots programs
all around the world.
Since launching in Canada in 2006, Kraft Hockeyville™ has
positively impacted more than 80 communities with over $4 million
donated in rink upgrades across Canada and the U.S. Previous U.S.
winners include Belle Vernon, Pa. in 2017, Marquette, Mich. in 2016 and
Johnstown, Pa. in 2015.
“Each year, Kraft Hockeyville™ USA puts a spotlight on the
importance of local ice rinks to communities all across the country,"
NHL Chief Brand Officer and Executive Vice President Brian Jennings
said. "Community support is crucial to the growth of hockey and Kraft
Heinz’s commitment to this program is making a significant impact.
Congratulations to Clinton Arena in Clinton, New York and to all of this
year's Kraft Hockeyville™ USA participants. The overwhelming
response from cities nationwide is proof positive of the local
commitment to ice rinks and the youth hockey players, coaches, parents
and volunteers that call it home.”
“We are proud to partner with Kraft Heinz to continue bringing the NHL
into more communities across the U.S. We know this year’s Kraft
Hockeyville™ USA winner, Clinton Arena in Clinton, New York will be
another great host,” said Mathieu Schneider, NHLPA Special Assistant to
the Executive Director. “The players who hit the ice next September are
looking forward to the celebration with the passionate fans of Clinton.”
For program details, visit www.KraftHockeyville.com.
Kraft Hockeyville™ USA 2018 can also be found on Facebook
(KraftHockeyvilleUSA), Twitter
(@HockeyvilleUSA), and Instagram
(KraftHockeyvilleUSA). Fans can join the conversation using
#HockeyvilleUSA.
NHLPA, National Hockey League Players’ Association and the NHLPA logo
are trademarks of the NHLPA and are used under license. © NHLPA. All
Rights Reserved.
NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks of the National
Hockey League, and HOCKEYVILLE is a trademark of the National Hockey
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logos and marks are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams
and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL
Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All rights reserved.
About The Kraft Heinz Company
The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ: KHC) is the fifth-largest food and
beverage company in the world. A globally trusted producer of delicious
foods, The Kraft Heinz Company provides high quality, great taste and
nutrition for all eating occasions whether at home, in restaurants or on
the go. The Company’s iconic brands include Kraft, Heinz, ABC,
Capri Sun, Classico, Jell-O, Kool-Aid, Lunchables,
MaxwellHouse, Ore-Ida, OscarMayer, Philadelphia,
Planters, Plasmon, Quero,Smart Ones and Velveeta.
The Kraft Heinz Company is dedicated to the sustainable health of our
people, our planet and our Company. For more information, visit www.kraftheinzcompany.com.
About The NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL), founded in 1917, consists of 31 Member
Clubs, each reflecting the League’s international makeup with players
from more than 20 countries represented on team rosters, vying for the
most cherished and historic trophy in professional sports – the Stanley
Cup®. Every year,the NHL entertains more than 250 million fans
in-arena and through its partners on national television and radio and
more than 151 million followers - league, team and player accounts
combined - across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.
The League broadcasts games in more than 160 countries and territories
through its rightsholders including NBC/NBCSN and the NHL Network in the
U.S., Sportsnet and TVA in Canada, Viasat in the Nordic Region and CCTV
and Tencent in China. The NHL reaches fans worldwide with games
available online in every country including via its live and on-demand
streaming service NHL.TV™. Fans are engaged across the League’s digital
assets on mobile devices via the free NHL® App; across nine social media
platforms; on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio; and on NHL.com,
available in eight languages and featuring unprecedented access to
player and team statistics as well as every regular-season and playoff
game box score dating back to the League’s inception, powered by SAP.
The NHL is committed to giving back to the community through programs
including: Hockey is for Everyone™ which supports nonprofit youth hockey
organizations across North America; Hockey Fights Cancer™ which raises
money and awareness for hockey’s most important fight; NHL Green™ which
is committed to the pursuit of sustainable business practices;
Declaration of Principles – developed by and for hockey stakeholders –
to advance policies, programs and initiatives, while inspiring fans,
players and communities to create the best possible experience for the
entire hockey community; and a partnership with the You Can Play
Project, which is committed to supporting the LGBT community and
fighting homophobia in sports. For more information, visit NHL.com.
About The NHLPA
The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), established in
1967, is a labor organization whose members are the players in the
National Hockey League (NHL). The NHLPA works on behalf of the players
in varied disciplines such as labor relations, product licensing,
marketing, international hockey and community relations, all in
furtherance of its efforts to promote its members and the game of
hockey. In 1999, the NHLPA launched the Goals & Dreams fund as a way for
the players to give something back to the game they love. Over the past
18 years, more than 70,000 deserving children in 34 countries have
benefited from the players’ donations of hockey equipment. NHLPA Goals &
Dreams has donated more than $24 million to grassroots hockey programs,
making it the largest program of its kind. For more information on the
NHLPA, please visit www.nhlpa.com.
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Source: The Kraft Heinz Company
The Kraft Heinz Company
Caroline Krajewski, 847-646-2567
Caroline.Krajewski@kraftheinzcompany.com
or
Jessica
Lutchen, 312-577-1777
Jessica.Lutchen@olson.com