Cheering His Success

It's always nice to see great things happen to great people. As you may be aware, The Hockey Show has had a fairly good relationship with the guys from Letterkenny in terms of having them on the show and having a few laughs with them. Jared Keeso, Nathan Dales, and Tyler Johnson have all come on the show, and we've talked to them about the epic CraveTV program that centers around Wayne and Daryl in their small town of Letterkenny. Today, though, there were two massive announcements regarding Letterkenny that really make me happy when it comes to the success of the show and the people that work on it.

I'll let the press release from BellMedia handle this announcement.

CraveTV and LETTERKENNY producers New Metric Media announced today they are joining forces to build the small-town, smash hit comedy beyond the series itself into a worldwide entertainment brand. The initiative is a comprehensive multi-year partnership that includes an unprecedented production commitment, investment in the support of any existing and new ancillary brand extensions, and a partnership on the international sales and distribution of the series, alongside DHX Media. The deal was negotiated by Bell Media’s Justin Stockman and Carlyn Klebuc, as well as Mark Montefiore of New Metric Media, and Jayme Alter, Denton’s Canada LLP.

In the comprehensive agreement, CraveTV and New Metric Media will partner on the production of more than 40 new episodes. With seasons 1-3 currently streaming, the agreement commits to a total of at least 73 episodes of the award-winning original comedy.

CraveTV’s commitment to brand support includes the continued cross-platform marketing campaigns for the series, as well its brand extensions including sought-after LETTERKENNY merchandise and the highly successful Puppers Premium Lager, in partnership with Stack Brewery in Sudbury.

As well, the partnership includes cross-promotional support for the just-announced, 26-city LETTERKENNY LIVE! tour, a 90-minute comedy experience starring Jared Keeso (Wayne), Nathan Dales (Daryl), K Trevor Wilson (Dan) and Mark Forward (Coach), kicking off in Halifax on February 28th, with plans to extend into the U.S.

Finally, CraveTV and New Metric Media's multi-year commitment includes partnering on the sale and distribution of the series and its format, alongside DHX Media, to the international market. The series and format was officially rolled out to International buyers this week at MIPCOM in Cannes, France.

The two good ol' boys from Letterkenny are going worldwide! How cool is that? Well done, Jared, Nathan, and everyone on the show for this monumental announcement! More than forty new episodes are on the way, the brand and its extensions will see marketing dollars spent on them, and it means that Jared, Nathan, Tyler, and the rest of the Letterkenny cast and crew will have work for multiple years! That's fantastic news!

I feel lucky that I've had a chance to get to know Jared Keeso as his career took off. I was privileged to watch him on the ice as Don Cherry when he filmed the story in Manitoba. I was psyched that he received small parts in both Elysium and Godzilla. I was thrilled for him when he landed the part of Ben Chartier on 19-2, and watching him weekly on that gritty police drama really showed how good of an actor he is. And then, of course, he plays the role of Wayne on Letterkenny which started as a YouTube video and now has grown into a worldwide phenomenon. His success is proof that if one works hard, good things happen and I am extremely happy for his success! Yes, I am an admitted Jared Keeso fan!

Well done, Jared! Who would have thought two Flames fans would soon be household names across the planet?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!