RANKIN INLET - A giant agreement signed this past week has landed a major corporate sponsor for one of the biggest senior men's hockey tournaments in the North.

Avataq Cup organizing committee members Pujjuut Kusugak, Troy Aksalnik and Jackson Lindell, from left, give a thumbs up to the partnership deal signed in October of 2010 between the senior men's hockey event and the First Air airline. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

First Air inked a three-year deal with the Avataq Cup organizing committee to be the sole airline sponsor for the event.

The tourney will now be known as the First Air Avataq Cup.

The deal is a lucrative one for the committee, which receives numerous tickets for fundraising, substantial price reductions for flights to Rankin during the tournament, a new First Air Avataq Cup to be presented in 2012 and numerous other benefits.

The agreement also has an option that could see it extended for another two years.

Ed Picco, First Air director of government affairs and sales for the eastern region, said the airline is pleased to be involved with such a prestigious event.

He said the partnership is a good one for the airline, with the Kivalliq being so well-known for its love of the game of hockey.

"The Kivalliq is known as a hockey-mad region across Nunavut, and First Air is mandated to provide help and travel to different communities," said Picco. "So, being able to sponsor the Avataq Cup gives up the opportunity to raise our profile in a region where we service every community.

"This partnership is exciting for us, and it gives us a chance to give something back to the communities."

Picco said the airline is happy to be in a situation where it may be able to help the Avataq organizing committee expand the event. He said being able to help the First Air Avataq Cup become even more prestigious is a win-win situation for everyone involved.

"There's a real synergy between sponsoring the tournament and being able to help raise its profile across Nunavut and the entire North.

"Now that we've accomplished this, First Air wants to look at establishing a pan-Northern Cup.

"We'd like to bring teams from top Northern tournaments in Nunavut, the NWT and Northern Quebec together for a major event."

Avataq committee member Pujjuut Kusugak said having First Air as the sole airline sponsor is a major step in the right direction.

He said partnering with the airline will help take all the guesswork out of the annual preparations

"We've talked about having a major sponsor for a while and this is the right move at the right time," said Kusugak.

"First Air has been trying to build good relations with everyone since it began serving every Kivalliq community.

"This agreement will give a lot more people in the region a chance to attend the Avataq.

"But, because of the event's popularity, we have to keep working at getting a better arena to accommodate the ever-growing number of fans who want to attend."

Fellow committee member Jackson Lindell said the annual Avataq event brings a huge influx of revenue into the community. But he said it's still frustrating that not everyone acknowledges that fact.

"Many of the main businesses in our community recognize this tournament brings a lot of people into town and that benefits them," said Lindell.

"So they've always supported us, in any way they can, in hosting the event every year.

"It's the bigger companies that don't seem to realize, or acknowledge, how many people we bring in and how much extra revenue this event provides to our community."

Kusugak said the community of Rankin Inlet has always been very good in helping the committee host the event every year.

He said there's a lot of excitement about this being the 10th anniversary of the Cup, and a new date in March for the event and a major airline sponsor turns the page on a new chapter for the tourney's continued growth.

"The guys who started this tourney, and the families who allowed us to use the name Avataq, have helped keep its legacy alive.

"The Avataq has become more than just a hockey tournament."

Webmaster Brian Tattuinee is redesigning the Avataq's web page to acknowledge the partnership.

He said people will see some exciting new changes to the site in the near future.

"Because this is a pretty big commitment by the airline, the site should be revamped to better reflect the new corporate sponsor the committee has," said Tattuinee.

"I'm working with a designer in Iqaluit to redo the entire site, and I hope First Air, the organizing committee

and the fans will be pleased with the results."

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