The Rogers Cup Tennis Tournament, taking place at the Rexall Centre from August 11^th – August 19^th, has a new sponsor – Emirates Airline. They will be launching the first ever direct air service between Dubai and Toronto.

The Rogers Cup is one of the 10 Tier 1 tournaments on the tennis calendar and they draw the best tennis players in the world. Only the Grand Slams have more prestige and importance. In spite of this, after the government declared it illegal for the cigarette companies to sponsor sporting events a few years ago, our tennis tournament was in grave danger of not being able to continue operating. The big money that everyone expected to step up to the plate and sponsor these events – the banks and insurance companies leap to mind – did not. Rogers and Rexall did.

 I have nothing against Emirate Airlines and I’m personally delighted to hear that the Rogers Cup has a new sponsor. However, I am saddened that our own major corporations don’t sponsor our own event to the level that they should. Do you think that Canadian corporations are doing enough to sponsor sports and cultural events?