Sidney Crosby isn’t just the face of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The NHL star is now also the face of luxury watch brand Norqain in North America.
Crosby is going beyond serving as a brand ambassador; the future Hall of Famer has joined the Swiss watch company as an investor and business partner for its U.S. and Canada division. The 10-time NHL All-Star and Nova Scotia native is teaming up with his former Penguins teammate and former New York Islanders captain Mark Streit, who is one of four who co-founded the independent brand in 2018.
“He has some endorsement deals, but this is a different level since he’s invested and really believes in the brand,” Streit said in a phone interview. “He loves watches and has always been interested in the watch industry.”
Crosby and Streit, who share the same agent Pat Brisson, won a Stanley Cup together in 2017. Crosby was introduced to the brand at the 2019 NHL All-Star Game in San Jose, where he and other All-Stars received an engraved Norqain watch from the hockey-centric brand, which was also co-founded by Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi, Norqain CEO Ben Küffer and industry veteran Ted Schneider. From there, the longtime Penguins captain remained in touch with Streit and watched from afar as the company grew.
“He followed our brand,” Streit said. “We’re in a tough industry. It’s challenging and you need to have some courage and guts to dive into this world … And Norqain is really into hockey, and I think he always felt associated with us and welcoming him on board is something we’re proud of.”
The 37-year-old Crosby aims to help elevate Norqain as it navigates the watch industry’s competitive landscape. The three-time Stanley Cup champion will be the face for the U.S. and Canada division, which is the company’s top market with 75 retailers. Crosby, who won team MVP this week for the 13th time in his career and surpassed Mario Lemieux for most in franchise history, will potentially be involved in various marketing campaigns and participate in events this summer to help promote the brand.
Crosby is in his 20th season with the Penguins after being drafted first overall in 2005. The two-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner has scored more than 600 goals in his career. Last week, he passed Wayne Gretzky for the most seasons averaging at least a point per game (20).
Norqain is looking to leverage the celebrity of additional former global athletes to grow its business and brand awareness. The Nidau, Switzerland-based brand has also received investment from former Manchester United captain-turned-broadcaster Gary Neville, who also has a stake in the United Kingdom and Ireland subsidiary, while former Italy national team goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has invested in the Italy subsidiary.
