Relationship Will Foster a Shared Vision to Grow the Game of Hockey in the U.S. and Canada
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass., Oct. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- YardRink LLC is thrilled to welcome Wayne Gretzky, "The Great One," as YardRink Ambassador. As the fastest growing backyard rink brand in North America, YardRink is honored to work with the greatest hockey player of all time to help grow the game of hockey. Sharing a genuine passion for increased access to rink time, Gretzky and the YardRink team will align to dramatically accelerate the expansion of backyard and street hockey in the U.S. and Canada.
Joining as YardRink Ambassador during a period of tremendous growth, Gretzky will provide broad promotional, marketing and advisory services to the Company. Leveraging the name, image, and likeness of one of the most admired and recognizable athletes in the world, YardRink will continue driving awareness for the Company and its mission to create joy through unlimited access to the thrill of outdoor ice time.
"When I was a kid, my dad spent enormous time and effort to build us an incredible backyard rink, and it played a crucial role in igniting my passion for hockey," said Wayne Gretzky, YardRink Ambassador. "I'd like to see more kids have that opportunity – to have fun, unstructured time to goof around or work on their skills in a rink with great board play. And making it truly easy for the parents to assemble is game-changing. YardRink has launched a great product and I'm proud to be working with them to grow the game."
YardRink CEO & Co-Founder Brian Packard added, "Having Wayne join our team creates an extraordinary opportunity to foster and expand the love of hockey in the markets we serve. Skating outdoors is an absolute blast, and Wayne will help us share his story, and our story, across all our marketing and sales channels. The active endorsement of "The Great One" will accelerate awareness for our growing market and help drive strong brand preference as we transform backyards across North America."
Since YardRink's Winter 2022 North American launch, the Company has enjoyed rapid expansion, and feedback from owners of YardRink backyard ice rinks has been overwhelmingly positive. Consumers consistently praise YardRink for its easy setup and maintenance. Plus, they love its unique, patented design featuring a custom tarp that wraps around the outside of panels that are filled and frozen, allowing for authentic hockey play.
About YardRink LLC
YardRink manufactures and sells outdoor ice hockey and street hockey rinks that are official licensed products of the NHL, each designed for optimum performance and playability. With headquarters in North Andover, Massachusetts and manufacturing operations in Clinton, Iowa, YardRink is the fastest growing backyard rink brand in North America. The Company offers hockey rink kits for any size yard or community space through its website, www.YardRink.com and select retail outlets. YardRink was founded with one goal: to create joy. By providing unlimited access to the thrill of outdoor skating time, YardRink aims to foster and expand the love of hockey.
About Wayne Gretzky
Canadian former professional ice hockey player, Wayne Gretzky, known as "The Great One," is considered the greatest ice hockey player of all time. Playing 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999, Gretzky holds career records for most goals, assists, and points in NHL history. Gretzky earned a record nine Hart Trophies as the NHL's most valuable player, 10 Art Ross Trophies as the NHL's season points leader, was twice named the MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs (receiving the Conn Smythe Trophy), and retired with 61 NHL records. Gretzky was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999. Since retirement, Gretzky has held various positions in the sport of hockey, including minority owner and Head Coach of the Phoenix Coyotes and Executive Director of 2002's Gold Medal-winning Canadian Men's Olympic Hockey team. Since 2022, he has led TNT's NHL Studio Coverage and will be covering the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs and Finals for Turner Sports. He is the owner of a number of businesses and is a generous philanthropist through the Wayne Gretzky Foundation and other charities.
