Kijiji is pleased to partner with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and help offer Quebecers memorable moments in sport
MONTREAL, Sept. 20, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Today Kijiji announced a major partnership with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). This partnership reflects Kijiji's desire to promote its presence in the cities and towns it serves in Quebec and to demonstrate its strong attachment and commitment to these communities.
Kijiji will lend its colours to the first provincial game of the season between the Quebec Remparts and the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, taking place on September 21. Entertainment inside and outside the Colisée will warm up the crowd, with Michel Goulet, former QMJHL and NHL player, in attendance.
"Our recent partnership with the QMJHL demonstrates our attachment and commitment to the Quebec regions, first because a love of hockey unites us, but also because the QMJHL has long been contributing to enriching the unique character of each region," said Marc-André Hade, marketing communication specialist for Kijiji Canada in Quebec. "Kijiji is solidly established and well represented in Quebec with 20 towns and regions each served locally by a specific website."
According to a recent Leger Marketing poll commissioned by Kijiji, 31% of Quebecers watch their favourite Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team play or follow its standings. Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, the National Capital and the Lower St. Lawrence are home to the League's biggest fans. They are invited to attend their local team's games to enjoy the surprises Kijiji has in store as part of this new partnership, including weekly entertainment in the arenas!
As an official partner, Kijiji will disseminate a video via social media illustrating that Kijiji facilitates the achievement of dreams that we think inaccessible, like buying used hockey equipment. During games, Kijiji videos will also be shown on arena scoreboards. Kijiji will offer the League more visibility on its classified websites, creating connections between a town's classifieds site and its major junior hockey team whenever possible.
"The QMJHL makes an enormous contribution to the vitality of our communities, helping create and cultivate a culture of sport, generating major economic spinoffs and unforgettable moments for Quebecers who are passionate about this sport," said Gilles Courteau, QMJHL commissioner. "Every year, it contributes to the athletic and academic development of hundreds of young people and is supported by hundreds of dedicated volunteers. We are pleased that Kijiji is getting involved in this project."
Kijiji is the leading free classified ad site in Quebec with millions of users across the province. Kijiji means "village" in Swahili, and the company's priority has always been to offer local service to communities in Quebec, making it a natural fit with the QMJHL and its local character.
Kijiji and hockey: a few numbers
Over 37,000 Quebecers have put their hockey equipment up for sale on Kijiji in the past 12 months. Another 34,000 shopped for hockey equipment during the same period. According to the Leger Marketing poll commissioned by Kijiji, 28% of respondents have belonged to a junior or amateur league hockey team. Furthermore, 69% of respondents say that they have a hard time paying for new hockey equipment. So it is not surprising that almost half of respondents (45%) reported purchasing used sports equipment.
About the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's mission is to develop players for professional hockey while supporting them throughout their academic endeavours to mold them into responsible, educated citizens. It must offer high entertainment value within a profitable framework in order to ensure the continued success of its activities.
About Kijiji
Kijiji, which means "village" in Swahili, is the number one classifieds website in Canada, connecting 10 million buyers and sellers each month. With local sites for more than 100 cities and towns across the country, including in Quebec, Kijiji makes it easy for its users to find exactly what they're looking for in their own community. In Quebec, 40% of Internet users use this service, and Kijiji sites receive over 2.5 million unique visitors per month.
In 2011, Kijiji websites in Quebec received an average of 261 searches per minute and 33 ad views per second, and 12 million responses of all kinds were sent.
Leger Marketing poll conducted online with a sample of 1,000 Quebecers from September 4 to 6, 2012. The margin of error is 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. This poll was conducted for Kijiji Canada.
Marc-André Hade, marketing communication specialist for Kijiji, as well as Gilles Courteau, commissioner of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, will be available on September 20 and 21 for interviews about this announcement.
SOURCE: Kijiji Canada
Véronique Beauchamp |Miriam Lauzon
514 739-1188, ext. 247|224
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