As the Canadian Football League (CFL) kicks off the 2013 season, Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX:SLF) says it is continuing its partnership with the league to provide career and financial planning services to players through the CFL Players’ Association.
Sun Life is sponsoring the CFL for the third year. For the 2013 season, the Toronto-based insurer will have a presence in the playoffs and at the 101st Grey Cup in Regina in November. Sun Life branding will be visible in the end zone and on all players’ jerseys.
“Our sponsorship with the CFL builds on a very successful 100th Grey Cup last November, where more than one in three Canadians tuned in to watch some or all of the broadcast,” says Mary De Paoli, EVP, public & corporate affairs and chief marketing officer, Sun Life Financial.
Sun Life is supporting players off the field, as well, by providing seminars to help them transition to a career as an advisor. When most professional athletes retire from sport, they still have many years ahead of them to focus on new career opportunities.
“Our work with the CFL Players’ Association provides options for players to consider a successful career with Sun Life after football,” said Vicken Kazazian, president & chairman, Sun Life Financial Distributors (Canada) Inc. and Sun Life Financial Investment Services (Canada) Inc.
This past year, three former CFL players from the Toronto Argonauts, Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders became Sun Life advisors, thanks to Sun Life’s education around an advisor career. They are among Sun Life’s 3,700 advisors in close to 1,200 communities across Canada. Two Sun Life employees, who started as advisors and are now in management roles, are also former CFL players.