Toronto – Warner Music Canada and Maple Leaf 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 their top two professional sports franchises.
Five individually-themed, Warner-curated playlists per team 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 traction during the team’s compelling 2019 playoff run, ultimately landing at #1 on the Apple Music Playlist Chart on June 14 – the day following the team’s historic NBA Championship victory. Hitting the pinnacle of that chart made the playlist one of the most popular third party-curated playlists ever on the Apple Music service globally.
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 via a unique, Apple Music-supported interface.
“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,” adds Warner’s Director of Brand Partnerships, Anthony Reyes.
Special events, offers and integrations surrounding the program will be announced over the course of the Raptors’ & Leafs’ ’19-’20 seasons.
About Warner Music Canada:
Warner Music Canada is part of the Warner Music Group, a leading company in national and international repertoire, which operates through numerous international affiliates and licensees in more than 50 countries. The Warner Music Group is the home to some of the world’s biggest international recording artists such as Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Lizzo, Coldplay, Dua Lipa and Dan + Shay as well as Canadian stars Michael Bublé, Billy Talent, Blue Rodeo and Scott Helman among many others. For more information please visit www.warnermusic.ca.