Labatt Breweries of Canada has brought broadcast veteran Peter Kretz and his firm Kretz Management on board to help it make the most of its media and sports properties and to manage its new four-year sponsorship deal with cbc-tv’s Hockey Night in Canada.

Kretz, in fact, left cbc-tv earlier this year upon fulfilling his commitment to the network after the Nagano Olympics. He had been with the broadcaster for 21 years and was general manager of sales and marketing before deciding it was time to move on.

He formed Kretz Management after a number of consulting projects subsequently came his way, the largest of which was a long-term agreement with Labatt that began earlier this month.

In addition to advising Labatt on its sports properties, Kretz says he is also advising the company on the media side of its business. ‘I’m reviewing all the sports properties to assess how to add value, create a competitive advantage or make more money,’ he says.

‘Labatt is really good when it comes to brewing and marketing,’ he adds. ‘What I bring is the broadcast perspective, which is very important when it comes to marketing plans and sports properties.’

Such Labatt properties include a stake in the Toronto Blue Jays, the Toronto Argonauts and the SkyDome, as well as involvement in Hockey Night in Canada and Pro-Beach Volleyball.