"Maple Leafs fans have a deep passion for the game. As a club, we are committed to sharing that passion with the next generation of fans through initiatives like our annual Next Gen games and now House of Hockey," said Brendan Shanahan, Toronto Maple Leafs President and Alternate Governor. "For many of us growing up, our introduction into the sport of hockey was simply a stick, a tennis ball and a pair of running shoes. Alongside Justin and drew house, we look forward to empowering the future of hockey and taking steps to ensure youths that want to play have an opportunity to do so."
The league's inaugural season will take place over 8 weeks beginning in June 2023 with weekly games played at sites in key communities in Toronto and the GTA. Players will be outfitted with the equipment and tools to enable their participation including training from skilled coaches on the fundaments of ball hockey with life skills integration as well as jerseys, sticks, merchandise and other gear provided by Maple Leafs and drew house. Building on this program's promise to create opportunities to play, donations will be made beyond the league to get hockey sticks and equipment into more local communities, expanding the movement and inspiring the next generation.
"I'm so happy to continue our partnership with the Maple Leafs and my goal to help kids everywhere have access to the sport of hockey," said Justin Bieber.
"We're honoured to continue our partnership with the Maple Leafs," said Ryan Good, Creative Director & Co-Founder, drew house. "Together, we look forward to the opportunity to grow the game of hockey and make it more accessible to kids."
House of Hockey is a direct response to the needs identified in this year's Change The Game Research Project - an annual study of youth sports in Canada conducted by MLSE Foundation with the goal of driving data-based solutions inside and outside of MLSE. In this study of 8,000 youth in Ontario, income level, lack of resources and ability status limited who can play with more than half of participants (60 per cent) citing that they are not actively participating in sport. As a result, accessibility is at the core of House of Hockey by activating in proximity to communities facing barriers, ensuring all players have necessary equipment and knowledge to play and providing valuable coaching and mentorship opportunities.
"We're committed to making the game of hockey more accessible, inclusive, diverse and welcoming for all," says Hope Bagozzi, Chief Marketing Officer, Tim Hortons. "We're excited to be partnering with the Toronto Maple Leafs and drew house to bring House of Hockey to life for youth across Toronto and the GTA."
For more information on House of Hockey and to learn how fans can represent our house and get involved, visit LeafsHouse.ca.
