Canadians love hockey, this we know. But what might not be quite as well known is just how extreme that love can be. This year, Visa, a proud partner of the NHL® and NHLPA in Canada since 2008, is celebrating the passion and loyalty of Canadian hockey fans with its new Hockey Love Hurts program. Through the campaign, Canadian Visa cardholders will be eligible for a chance to win a variety of amazing prizes, including a trip for two to a Stanley Cup® Final game, by pledging allegiance to their favourite NHL team at www.hockeylovehurts.ca

Just how far does Canadian hockey love go?
Canadian hockey fans will go to great lengths to show support for their favourite team. According to a recent survey commissioned by Visa Canada¹, 40 per cent of avid NHL fans admit they have cancelled other plans in order to watch an NHL game, with 10 per cent of these fans keeping coy about their real whereabouts!

While Alberta, BC (both 67 per cent) and Quebec (66 per cent) boast the highest number of NHL hockey fans, fans in Manitoba and Saskatchewan are perhaps the most wily, as they are most likely to not come clean after cancelling plans in order to watch a game.

"At Visa, we understand that Canadians ride an emotional roller coaster as they support their favourite NHL team," said Gallant Law, Head of Sponsorship and Brand Management, Visa Canada. "Whether your mood suffers after a loss or you have rolled into work late - or not at all - after celebrating a win, Hockey Love Hurts was designed to reward fans who stand by their team through the good and the bad."

Hockey Love Hurts - but help is only a click away!
Until April 11, 2011, Visa cardholders are encouraged to pledge their support for their favourite NHL team by visiting www.hockeylovehurts.ca, and thereby entering for a chance to win a variety of great prizes. Prizes will be randomly drawn at milestone moments throughout the season, including 22 rivalry game prizes, four trade deadline prizes, four missed playoff prizes and many more. Fans can also watch NHL players share some of their own personal, painful hockey fan moments.

This won't hurt a bit - Win tickets to a Stanley Cup® Final game!
Everyone who enters the program through the Hockey Love Hurts website will also have a chance to win any NHL fan's ultimate prize - tickets for two to a Stanley Cup® Final Game!

These tickets are definitely a hot commodity, especially if your favourite team makes the cut. The survey found that some Canadian NHL fans will go to great lengths to see their team play in the Final. Among avid NHL fans, many are willing to change their name to "Lord Stanley" for the day (43 per cent), shave their head (35 per cent) or even change their wedding date (28 per cent) for that golden ticket. But even for the most passionate Canadian hockey fans, there are limits - only 16 per cent would be brave enough to go streaking for the ticket. Canadian winters are cold, after all!

"Hockey fans have to keep hope alive during the bad times and savour the good times, even when they seem few and far between," said Law. "Hockey love hurts, but it's still worth celebrating."

No purchase or obligation is necessary to enter or win. For more information, full contest rules and to sign up, please visit www.hockeylovehurts.ca.

NHL, the NHL Shield and the word mark Stanley Cup are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. All Rights Reserved.

About Visa
Visa is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure and reliable digital currency. Underpinning digital currency is one of the world's most advanced processing networks - VisaNet - that is capable of handling more than 10,000 transactions a second, with fraud protection for consumers and guaranteed payment for merchants. Visa is not a bank, and does not issue cards, extend credit or set rates and fees for consumers. Visa's innovations, however, enable its financial institution customers to offer consumers more choices: Pay now with debit, ahead of time with prepaid or later with credit products. For more information, visit www.corporate.visa.com.

About the Charlton Strategic Research survey
¹These are some of the findings of Charlton Strategic Research omnibus telephone surveys conducted on behalf of Visa Canada in December 2010 (10th - 17th) and January 2011 (6th - 11th) among 1,002 and 1,001 randomly selected Canadians aged 18+. The total bases (n=1,002 and n=1,001, respectively) have a statistical error of plus or minus 3.1% 19 times out of 20. The base of NHL Fans (n=627) has a statistical error of plus or minus 4.0%, 19 times out of 20.

¹ Visa cardholders should also be aware that sharing your PIN may void certain Zero Liability protections

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