TORONTO, ON – 49 Sports is proud to announce a partnership agreement with Ontario University Athletics (OUA) for the 2021-22 season. 

The new partnership will see 49 Sports and the OUA work together to tell the stories of university student-athletes across the OUA’s 20 member schools, with new content appearing on both platforms. 

The OUA oversees 22 sports in Ontario, including the 12 sports competing for U SPORTS National Championships. 

“Seeing people like Ben [Steiner] and the 49 Sports team who are passionate about university sport and using that passion to highlight the incredible individuals that make up the OUA is terrific, said OUA President Gord Grace. “We are pleased to partner with 49 Sports to help share these unique stories and  showcase more of what makes the university sport landscape in Ontario so special.” 

For the uninitiated, 49 Sports is the passion project of managing editor Ben Steiner, David Ciss, and Richard Coffey, current students and alumni of the Ryerson University Sport Media program. Launched in 2019, the website aims to tell the stories of student-athletes from north of the Canada-USA border. In 2021, 49 Sports features writers from Halifax to Vancouver Island, with correspondents in between, many at OUA  member schools.

Said 49 Sports Managing Editor Ben Steiner, “Our team emphasizes telling the stories of Canadian university student-athletes and coaches, both on and off the field of play. With thousands of student-athletes, the OUA has some of the most compelling  stories in Canadian elite sport, and we are thrilled to partner with a conference that strives to open  doors for young student-athletes and sees the value in telling these important stories.” 

49 Sports will maintain integrity and honesty through our reporting in the OUA and across Canada, while also working with the OUA to grow university sport in Ontario and promote elite university sport in 2021-22.