Reebok International has signed a multi-year agreement with Sidney Crosby, the consensus top pick in the next National Hockey League draft, and widely anticipated to be the best player to enter the professional ranks in twenty years. Already immensely popular in his native Canada, Crosby’s profile is expected to grow in the United States and around the world when his pro career begins. He will be a major part of Reebok’s marketing strategy, both on and off the ice.
Crosby was a force in Team Canada’s Gold Medal win at the 2005 IIHF World Junior Championships earlier this year. The 17-year-old from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia is currently the leading scorer in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) as a member of the Rimouski Oceanic.
“In 2005, hockey fans around the world will be introduced to two of the most exciting newcomers to hit the sport in many years – Sidney Crosby and Rbk Hockey,” said Matt OToole, president and CEO of The Hockey Company, a Reebok subsidiary. “Rbk Hockey products represent a new generation of equipment for a new generation of player, and no player fits that profile better than Sidney Crosby.”
The 17-year-old hockey phenom joins a growing list of NHL stars who have made the switch to Rbk Hockey, including Team Canada linemate and World Junior Tournament MVP Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins and NHL All-Stars Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars, Pavel Datsyuk and Curtis Joseph of the Detroit Red Wings, Chris Pronger of the St. Louis Blues, Tony Amonte of the Philadelphia Flyers, Roberto Luongo of the Florida Panthers, and Russian standout Evgeni Malkin, the #2 overall pick in the 2004 NHL draft.
“I am really excited to join Reebok’s impressive roster of great athletes,” said Crosby. “Reebok is a brand I have always admired and respected, and I feel very fortunate to be among the first players to wear Rbk Hockey products.” He added, “The skates and equipment look incredible and I cant wait to get started working with Reebok on my own equipment.”
