Warner Music Canada and Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) have announced an extension of their partnership through the 2019-2020 season on a program that is centered around a suite of branded music playlists for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors.
Five individually themed playlists, curated by Warner, for both Raptors and Leafs are currently available exclusively on Apple Music, and via the Raptors and Leafs team apps.
Included in the mix is the flagship ‘Official Playlist’ of the Toronto Raptors, which gained notoriety during the team’s historical 2019 playoff run, ultimately landing at #1 on the Apple Music Playlist Chart on June 14 – the day following the team’s NBA Championship victory.
Dale Kotyk, VP Marketing at Warner, said “Torontonians are such passionate and fiercely loyal sports fans. Listening to these playlists is another way for fans in Canada and around the globe to show support for their teams. That’s part of the reason the Raptors Official Playlist had been so wildly successful during the playoffs – not to mention the fact that it’s a really amazing playlist!”
Over the course of the season, Warner and MLSE will collaborate on a number of promotions and initiatives to heighten the program’s profile. On occasion, athletes and/or influential fans of the teams may participate by guest curating some of the playlists in the series.
“We have long known that sports fans are amongst the most engaged music consumers, and we wanted to provide a way to offer fans of these two iconic franchises the music they seek out and enjoy in one convenient package,” said Steve Kane, President of Warner Music Canada.
The bespoke playlists are also available on the individual Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs fan apps.
“The app integration is the first of its kind and allows the user to listen to their favourite team playlist, while checking out other great app features including in-seat food and merchandise ordering and keeping up to date with player stats,” adds Jordan Vader, Vice President, Global Partnerships at MLSE. “You never have to leave the app and can navigate through all its features while listening to the playlist uninterrupted.
“Part of our joint strategy for the program is to engage and inspire the next generation of fans. Music plays a crucial role in that. None of the official playlists contain explicit language, which makes them very family friendly. The team playlists provide an easy access point for young fans, while giving parents a little peace of mind,”
Special events, offers and integrations surrounding the program will be announced over the course of the Raptors and Leafs 2019-2020 seasons.
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