U SPORTS is the national brand for University Sports in Canada. We represent 56 universities coast to coast and we promote determination, leadership, team building and commitment.

Learn about the exciting new landscape of University Sports in Canada from Sportsnet personality Arash Madani, U SPORTS CEO Graham Brown, and Glen Grunwald, Director of Athletics at McMaster University and former GM of the Toronto Raptors.

THURSDAY, JUNE 1ST 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

HOCKEY HALL OF FAME, BROOKFIELD PLACE

30 YONGE STREET

Join us for lunch, a presentation on the opportunities in university sport,

and all-day access to the Hockey Hall of Fame!

Speaker Bios

Arash Madani, Sportsnet Personality

Arash Madani has been with Sportsnet since 2009, covering a gamut of sports – from Hockey Night In Canada to the Olympics, as well as multiple World Series, NBA Finals and Super Bowls.

Passionate about storytelling and play-by-play, Madani has travelled the world, doing live events, sideline reporting and producing both news items and features for the network. In addition to his television work, he is a regular radio co-host on Prime Time Sports and is a contributor to the online print content on Sportsnet.ca.

From Roger Federer to Usain Bolt, David Beckham and Derek Jeter, Madani has interviewed some of the biggest newsmakers in sports. And was also told by Munenori Kawasaki that he’s Japanese.

Prior to his time at Sportsnet, Madani was with theScore after stints in sports radio, daily newspapers (including his hometown, Truro Daily News) and twice as a public relations director for CFL teams.

Madani has been a passionate backer of Canadian amateur athletes, and their sports, even before attending Bishop’s University. He has called, and covered, numerous U SPORTS national championships and bowl games, and previously hosted Vanier Cup coverage from field-level.

Graham Brown, CEO, U SPORTS

Graham Brown is currently the President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for U SPORTS Canada (formerly Canadian Interuniversity Sport – CIS). Prior to his role with U SPORTS, Mr. Brown held the positon of both CEO of Rugby Canada and the Executive Director of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association. Mr. Brown taught for 10 years at the University of Toronto in the area of Sport Sponsorship and speaks regularly on the topic of sponsorship and event management. Mr. Brown has both an undergraduate and post-graduate Degree in Sports Management from the University of Windsor where he also played varsity football, varsity basketball and was a founding member of the University's rugby program.

Glen Grunwald, Director of Athletics, McMaster University

A native of Chicago, Illinois, Glen Grunwald was a high school All-American basketball player, who went on to play at Indiana University under legendary coach Bobby Knight. He was the team captain in 1981 when the Hoosiers won the NCAA Championship. Drafted by the Boston Celtics of the NBA, he did not pursue professional basketball and instead completed a law degree at Northwestern University and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Indiana.

Working as a corporate attorney, Grunwald returned to his basketball roots in 1990 as VP and General Counsel of the NBA Denver Nuggets. He joined the Toronto Raptors organization in 1994 and assumed the role of General Manager from 1997 to 2004.

Upon leaving the Raptors, Grunwald became the President and CEO of the Toronto Board of Trade, the largest local business organization in Canada. He maintained involvement with numerous civic organizations and was a board member at George Brown College and Canada Basketball. In 1999, Grunwald became a Canadian citizen.

Grunwald returned to the NBA in 2006 with the New York Knicks and became the team’s General Manager in 2011. Moving on from the Knicks in 2014, he began exploring opportunities in university athletics, which had always interested him, and he was hired to assume the position of Director of Athletics and Recreation at McMaster in August of 2014.

Our Reach is from Coast-to-Coast

New Access to Key Consumers

A partnership with U SPORTS provides unprecedented access to valuable groups of consumers, including millennials, student athletes, alumni and local communities nationwide.

Unprecedented on-campus access

We’re offering exclusive partnership rights and exclusive activation access to 56 U SPORTS campuses across Canada. Our key partners will be able to engage over one million millennials in an uncluttered market every week!

Millennials: Our core consumer

We have the unique ability to connect with millennials in an organic and beneficial way. A partnership with U SPORTS provides a platform for trial, engagement, and creating an authentic conversation in them natural environment.

Facts

National Reach: 56 campuses

A partnership with U SPORTS provides access to 56 campuses across Canada.

40% Metropolitan

40% of students at U SPORTS schools are attending universities in Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Vancouver and Calgary.

65% Under the age of 24

We will enable our partners to build their future community base now. 65% of university students are under the age of 24.

Recent highlights

- New Toronto office
- A new brand identity
- A new organizational structure for marketing and partnerships
- Universal backing from university presidents and athletic directors

What we celebrate

Accomplishment
Experiences
Unforgettable moments
Camaraderie
Community
Involvement
Commitment
Aspiration
Discipline
Education