Canada
PLAYMAKER CAPITAL INC. APPOINTS SARA SLANE AND MARK HARRISON TO ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Playmaker Capital Inc., the digital sports media company that delivers authentic content experiences through its portfolio of sports media and technology brands, announced today that it has appointed Sara Slane, Founder of Slane Advisory and former Senior Vice President of the American Gaming Association, and Mark Harrison, Founder of The T1 Agency and SponsorshipX, to its board of directors (the “Boardâ€).
“Being able to add two people of the calibre of Sara and Mark is a big step forward for Playmakerâ€, said Jordan Gnat, Playmaker CEO. “I have known Sara for many years and have witnessed how effective she has been in providing guidance and leadership to the gaming and sports industries. Mark’s reputation is second to none. We have been looking to add a senior executive in the marketing and partnership industry to our Board, and Mark fits that perfectly. Sara and Mark have distinct experiences that are relevant to our core business model, and they will both serve as incredibly important and complimentary additions to the current composition of our Boardâ€.
Ms. Slane is the founder of Slane Advisory, a consultancy focused on advising stakeholders from the gaming, media, and sports industries. Previously, Ms. Slane served as Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at the American Gaming Association. As a key industry strategist and spokesperson, Ms. Slane was instrumental in enhancing the gaming industry’s reputation and overturning the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which has resulted in widespread and continued adoption of sports betting across the U.S. Ms. Slane has conducted numerous team market access and sponsorship deals in the U.S., having aligned gaming partners for the NHL, NASCAR, and PGA TOUR. She currently serves as a board member to Delaware North and a board observer to GeoComply. Ms. Slane is considered to be one of the most influential voices in gaming, and has been the recipient of numerous awards, including Sports Business Journal’s Forty Under 40, Sports Betting Hall of Fame, the 2019 Sports Betting Power Players list, and Global Gaming Business Top 25 People to Watch.
Mr. Harrison has been a leading figure in the sponsorship and marketing industry in Canada for over 30 years. In 1994, Mr. Harrison founded the T1 Agency, a full-stack sponsorship agency that elevates brands through strategic partnerships, creative activations, and effective amplification. In 2005, Mr. Harrison founded SponsorshipX, a global community of sponsorship and marketing focused practitioners. Mr. Harrison is also the founder of Mh3 Collective, an organization that is focused on empowering people, promoting social and racial equity, and removing barriers to education, among other initiatives. As a lifelong volunteer and steward of equity and inclusion, Mr. Harrison founded the Black Talent Initiative in 2020 to facilitate opportunities for professional Black talent. Additionally, Mr. Harrison is Board Chair at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto, a Fundraising Campaign Cabinet Member at CAMH Foundation, and an advisor to several ventures, including the Crankworx World Tour, Riff, and NFL Canada.
The appointments of Ms. Slane and Mr. Harrison to Playmaker’s Board will strengthen and complement the Board’s areas of expertise. Ms. Slane’s deep understanding of the North American gaming industry will provide invaluable insight regarding the continued development and adoption of sports betting, an important area of opportunity for Playmaker as it looks to continue to build strong commercial partnerships with sports betting operators. Mr. Harrison’s extensive sponsorship and advertising knowledge will serve as an important and trusted resource for Playmaker and its multi-channel portfolio of digital sports media properties.
In connection with the director appointments, Playmaker granted 400,000 options (the “Optionsâ€) to acquire Playmaker common shares (the “Common Sharesâ€) to each of Ms. Slane and Mr. Harrison, at an exercise price of C$0.58 per Common Share, 25% of which vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant, with the remaining Options vesting in 1/48 increments each monthly anniversary thereafter. The Options expire 10 years from the date of grant.
Stats Perform, the global leader in sports AI, data and technology, has announced an official data partnership with the Northern Super League (NSL). The partnership will allow world-leading Opta data to be collected live from every NSL league game for the next three years.
Beginning this month, the Northern Super League (NSL) establishes a new era in Canadian sport as the country’s first professional domestic women’s soccer league — an ambitious and transformative initiative co-founded by former Canadian international and Olympic medallist Diana Matheson. Its inaugural season kicks off on April 16 and will feature six teams who have assembled multinational player rosters with extensive club and international experience, including 100-cap Canadian internationals Desiree Scott and Quinn.
Once the action begins, detailed data from every on-ball event, including advanced AI-powered Opta Analytics metrics such as Expected Goals (xG) and Expected Assists (xA), will be captured and distributed via feeds and Stats Perform products, including OptaAI Studio. This will enable various broadcasters, publishers and rights holders to generate stories and insights throughout the NSL season and provide them straight to the league’s fans in real time.
As part of the agreement, the NSL’s League Office and every NSL club will also have access to Opta Search, part of OptaAI Studio. This will allow their content creators to leverage all Opta data collected during the NSL season in the creation of data-led stories on the stand-out performers, and will help them generate key talking points for publication on official league and club platforms. Opta Search will also empower the NSL’s media team to create a range of data visualizations, including player shot maps and touch maps, to visually illustrate the impact of different players’ on-field performances.
Christina Litz, NSL President, said: “We are thrilled to have Stats Perform on board as our official data partner. When we talk about detailed performance data in soccer, Opta is the gold standard, so we are delighted to have it powering each of our official digital channels. As the season progresses, we want to put the spotlight on all the on-field heroes who emerge and having access to world-class data will help us tell their stories and inspire a new generation of Canadian soccer fans.â€
Steve Xeller, Chief Revenue Officer at Stats Perform, said: “Stats Perform has been a huge supporter of expansion leagues around the world, so we are very pleased to be partnering with NSL in the lead-up to their first domestic campaign. Seeing a fully professional women’s soccer league launch in Canada is an incredibly exciting development for the sport in North America and we see considerable potential in working proactively with the League’s Head Office to help the competition grow, using the power of AI and data-led storytelling to build fan communities across the continent.â€
With the Ottawa Senators securing a playoff spot in the NHL, ToonieBet will be there every step of the way, engaging fans with exclusive giveaways, premium entertainment, and a casino experience that mirrors the team’s energy and excitement.
The Ottawa Senators and Tooniebet, an online casino for players across Ontario, announced a partnership that will make Tooniebet the NHL team’s Official Online Casino Partner.
Tooniebet, which launched in 2024 is part of Soft2Bet – one of the world’s fastest growing iGaming turnkey solutions providers with iGaming brands around the world with a portfolio of 19 global licenses, including Ontario.
Additional highlights of the Ottawa Senators and TonnieBet partnership will include:
- In-Arena & Broadcast Branding: Digitally enhanced dashboards for home and away games
- In-rink board signage for home games
- Virtual slot signage for various games
- Digital inventory throughout the Ottawa Senators site on NHL.com
- Direct Fan Engagement: Social contests and promotions hosted on Senators’ digital platforms
- Television Broadcast Branding: Digitally enhanced rink boards for home and away games
- In-arena rink board signage for home games
Martin Ballard, VP Corporate Partnerships, Ottawa Senators stated: “We are thrilled to welcome ToonieBet as an official partner of the Ottawa Senators. Cooperating with a brand that shares our commitment to providing fans with an exceptional and trusted experience is incredibly exciting. Together, we look forward to delivering memorable moments and engaging our passionate fanbase in new and innovative ways.â€
Oksana Tsyhankova, Chief Marketing Officer at Soft2Bet, commented: “Partnering Soft2Bet’s ToonieBet brand with the Ottawa Senators is a significant milestone that reinforces our strong brand presence in Ontario. In a short period, we have achieved impressive performance and retention results, with a primary focus on localised, engaging experiences for Canadian players, which makes ToonieBet truly set itself apart.”
By tapping into the Senators’ digital platforms and in-arena presence, ToonieBet will stay close to the action and connect with fans in real, engaging ways while continuing to offer a top-quality online casino experience.
ToonieBet offers a fast, localised online casino experience for players in Ottawa and across Ontario. Through this partnership, fans will have the chance to win Senators merchandise and tickets while ToonieBet grows its presence in a competitive Ontario market. With in-arena branding, regional broadcast coverage, and digital promotions, ToonieBet will be highly visible to the team’s loyal supporters.
PENN Entertainment announced that it has launched theScore Casino, a new stand-alone iCasino app in Ontario. The dedicated online casino experience leverages the popular theScore brand, which has been a mainstay in the Ontario market for decades. Now available on Android, iOS, and desktop, customers can login using their existing theScore Bet credentials, allowing for a seamless experience across online gaming platforms.
theScore Casino operates on the same cutting-edge proprietary technology platform as PENN’s online Hollywood Casino, which launched as a standalone product in the US in December. The product was recently ranked by Eilers & Krejcik as the #2 overall iCasino product in the US.
theScore Casino, also available within theScore Bet app, offers a variety of online slots, table games, and live dealer content, including original titles from PENN Game Studios, the company’s in-house game development studio. theScore Casino also includes bespoke live dealer tables and exclusive games such as Blue Jays Blackjack, an original title leveraging theScore Bet’s partnership with the Toronto Blue Jays.
“We’re excited to introduce our dedicated iCasino product in Ontario under the well-known and trusted theScore brand. We’ve built a strong online gaming foothold in the Ontario market and are primed to deliver an even better casino experience with our proven stand-alone app. Our customer-friendly platform features more than 1200 games, dozens of original titles and intuitive game play that distinguishes our product and positions us for even greater success,†said Aaron LaBerge, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Interactive at PENN Entertainment.
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