The Toronto Maple Leafs have successfully collaborated with Justin Bieber before on jerseys and merchandise. Now that partnership is adding a charitable component.
The Leafs have joined forces with Bieber’s Drew House clothing company and Tim Hortons to create a new program called “House of Hockey,” with an emphasis on making the game more accessible for all by removing the barriers that keep youth out of the sport.
Their initiative will include a new summer-long league providing free access to ball hockey for those youths facing barriers in their communities.
“One of my missions in life is to continue evolving the culture of hockey and making it feel inclusive for everyone,” Bieber wrote on Thursday in a lengthy Instagram post. “Unfortunately, hockey can be an expensive sport…we want people all over the world to have access to the game.”
Bieber — who grew up two hours west of Toronto — was in attendance on Wednesday when the Leafs faced the Florida Panthers in exclusive Drew House-designed sweaters. The team plans to continue creating merchandise lines with the pop star going forward.