At a time when brands are searching for deeper, more authentic ways to connect with fans, the Ottawa Senators are redefining what modern sports partnerships can look like. Under the leadership of Vice President of Corporate Partnerships Martin Ballard, the organization has innovated their sponsorship approach toward idea-led collaborations that blend storytelling, technology, and purpose. That mindset comes to life in the Senators’ new partnership with MDA Space, a Canadian aerospace company aiming to make space fun, accessible, and understandable for everyday fans.

For MDA Space, the partnership is about more than visibility—it’s about connecting two pillars of Canadian identity. As Amy MacLeod, VP of Corporate Communications at MDA Space, explains: “Hockey is one of the ties that bind us together as a country, and so is space. By partnering with the Ottawa Senators, we’re tapping into a platform that unites Canadians from coast to coast to coast to showcase the vital, and often unseen, role space plays in everyday life. It is also a great platform to celebrate and honour Canada’s space leadership. As the third country to put a satellite in space 60 plus years ago, Canada is one of the most space capable countries on the planet. We’re aiming to raise awareness of Canada’s achievements and inspire interest in space among new audiences, in Ottawa and across the country.”

“There’s never been a more exciting time to partner with the Ottawa Senators,” Ballard explains. “Our fan base is growing, evolving, and becoming more digitally connected. Under Michael Andlauer’s ownership, there’s real momentum around innovation, community, and winning—on and off the ice. For brands, that creates an incredible platform to tell meaningful stories that resonate.”

Uniting Brand Strategy and Fan Experience

The MDA Space partnership is a clear reflection of the Senators’ evolving sponsorship philosophy. Rather than starting with logos or fixed assets, the Senators began by understanding MDA Space’s core objectives: build brand awareness, educate the public about space, and support talent recruitment in a highly competitive field. From there, the focus shifted to ideation—developing a bold, ownable concept that could cut through the clutter.

That concept became “The Science of Hockey,” which comes to life in a custom digital content series that explores what familiar hockey moments, like slap shots or body checks, would look like in space. The series is designed to educate fans in an entertaining way, breaking down complex aerospace concepts through the lens of the game they love.

“Space can feel intimidating or confusing,” Ballard notes. “Our goal was to help MDA Space make it approachable. By connecting space science to hockey moments fans already understand, we created a storytelling platform that feels both fun and authentic.”

Partnership Highlights & Asset Mix

Leveraging the SponsorUnited platform, which has over 2 million creative images, the Ottawa Senators and MDA Space collaborated to find the right asset mix to build around three core pillars:

1. Digital Content Series – The Science of Hockey
   A four-episode digital series supported by teaser content, short-form social clips, and paid and organic amplification across the Senators’ channels.
   
   
2. Fanboni Entitlement & Experiential Activation
   MDA Space holds entitlement to the Senators’ Fanboni, an on-ice intermission activation that will be redesigned to incorporate space-monitoring elements - creating a unique blend of experiential marketing and education.

3. Marquee Brand Visibility
   Permanent in-ice logo placement, home and away Digitally Enhanced Dasherboards (DED), and in-bowl signage provide consistent awareness and national reach.

Additional assets include intermission features, suite night hospitality, and full category exclusivity—ensuring MDA Space owns its space within the Senators ecosystem.

Measuring Impact Through Content and Data

Success for the partnership will be measured primarily through content performance. KPIs include total impressions, video views, and engagement across full-length episodes and supporting short-form content. The Senators will leverage both social analytics and third-party asset tracking to evaluate media value, ensuring every element of the partnership remains measurable and accountable.

Feedback loops are built into the process. After each episode launch, the Senators, MDA Space, and creative partners will conduct post-campaign reviews to refine promotion strategies and maximize reach. The Senators’ digital team plays a critical role in ongoing optimization, ensuring the content resonates with fans.

Looking Ahead: Scaling the Mission and Impact

While The Science of Hockey is set to launch in early 2026, much of the foundational work is already complete - from finalized episode concepts to a fully developed promotional plan that blends organic and paid digital media.

If fan engagement meets expectations, the Senators see clear opportunities to expand the partnership into in-venue and broadcast integrations, bringing the content to even larger audiences. The long-term vision is simple: take a strong, ownable idea and scale it across every relevant fan touchpoint.

For the Senators, the biggest takeaway is reaffirming the power of leading with ideas. “When you start with strong programming and authentic storytelling,” Ballard says, “traditional assets become more impactful because they ladder up to something bigger.”

In partnering with MDA Space, the Ottawa Senators have demonstrated that innovation doesn’t have to come from traditional sponsorship categories. By aligning creativity, education, and measurable impact, the partnership offers a blueprint for how sports properties and brands can collaborate in more meaningful - and more memorable - ways.