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Enter for a chance to be part of our Changemaker Spotlight Contest Rules

Champions of Ambition: Changemaker Spotlight Contest (the “Contest”)

Official Rules

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.

By entering into this Contest, I accept the terms and conditions and set forth in these Official Rules. I confirm I am at least 18 years old and have reached the age of majority in my province of residence at the time of opt-in. By entering the Contest, I agree to sign up to receive newsletters and special offers from The GIST and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Canada (“CIBC”) Sponsor and CIBC have provided prizes to the Contest but only The GIST Ltd. is sponsoring the contest and responsible for operating the Contest. For the purposes of this Contest, CIBC’s role is limited to that of a prize supplier. Sponsor and CIBC are referred to as the Contest Entities (as defined below). The Contest is subject to federal, provincial, municipal, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited.

Eligibility: The Contest is open to all legal residents of Canada (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory of residence at the time of entry, and has a valid email address. Employees, independent contractors, interns, officers, directors, and agents of The GIST (the “Sponsor”) or the Canadian Imperial Bank of Canada (“CIBC”) (collectively, the “Contest Entities”) and/or any Contest judges are not eligible to enter.

Sponsor: The Contest is sponsored by The GIST Ltd. at 545 King St. West, Toronto, ON, M5V 1M1.

Agreement to Official Rules: By entering the Contest, you indicate your full and unconditional agreement to, and acceptance of, (a) these Official Rules and (b) Sponsor’s decisions, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.

Entry Period: The Contest begins at 12:00am Eastern Time (“ET”) on July 13, 2025 and ends on July 29, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET (the “Entry Period”). Entries submitted before or after the Entry Period will not be eligible. Sponsor’s computer is the official timekeeping device for the Contest.

How to Enter: No purchase necessary. During the Entry Period, you may enter the Contest by (i) visiting the Contest website ca.thegistsports.com/contest/cibc-ambition-spotlight (the “Contest Site”) and completing the Contest Entry Form, or (ii) posting a 30-second video and using the hashtag #changemakerspotlight to answer how they would use $5,000 towards their ambition (the “Alternative Entry Method”). There is a limit of one (1) entry per person/email address. Additional entries per person/email address will not be acknowledged. If a participant enters by using both the Contest Site and Alternative Entry Method, only the Alternative Entry Method submission will be considered. The use of an agency or any automated system to enter the Contest is strictly prohibited and Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entries received through such methods, as determined by Sponsor, in its sole discretion.

By entering the Contest in accordance with the entry process described above, you will be registering to receive email communication from The GIST and CIBC and agree that your registration and any other information collected in connection with the Contest may be used by the following partners: The GIST and CIBC in accordance with their Privacy Policy, a current copy of which can be found at https://www.thegistsports.com/terms-of-service/, https://www.cibc.com/en/privacy-security/privacy-policy.html.

The Contest Entry Form will consist of a series of questions that must be completed in full in order to be considered for prizing. These questions will allow applicants to articulate their ambitions and how they would use the prize funds to support their goals. .

Alternative Entry Method Submission Guidelines: All Alternative Entry Method submissions must meet the following guidelines (the “Alternative Entry Method Submission Guidelines”):

  1. The entry must disclose the connection to the Contest by including the hashtag #changemakerspotlight
  1. The entry must not defame, misrepresent or contain disparaging remarks about the Contest Entities or any of their products, or other people, products or companies or communicate messages inconsistent with the positive images and/or goodwill associated with the Sponsor, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion.
  1. Entry must be suitable for family audiences, including without limitation, for publication on national television, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion.
  1. Entry must not contain any content that is or contains: unlawful behaviour, profanity, explicit sexuality, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortious, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, or is hatefully, ethnically or otherwise offensive or objectionable, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion.
  1. Entry must not infringe on the intellectual property rights, or defame or invade the publicity or privacy rights, of any third party, living or deceased.

By submitting a social media entry, you warrant and represent that: (i) the entry is your original work, created solely by you, and over which you have all necessary rights, title and interest, including copyright; (ii) the entry has not been previously published; (iii) all individuals appearing in the entry have granted to you permission to publish or otherwise use their likeness in the entry in any manner and media whether now known or hereafter devised; and (iv) that the entry complies with the Alternative Entry Method Submission Guidelines. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Sponsor from any claims to the contrary.

By entering, you agree as follows: (i) you acknowledge that your entry may be posted by Sponsor online including on Sponsor’s social media channels, in Sponsor's sole discretion but without obligation; (ii) you have the right and authority to, and do hereby, grant to Sponsor an irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free worldwide license in perpetuity to reproduce, store, copy, broadcast, display, distribute, edit, alter, combine with other material, publish, post, commercialize and/or otherwise use without limitation all or any part of the entry in any manner or media; (iii) you waive any and all moral rights that you may have in and to the entry with respect to the uses contemplated herein; and, (iv) you agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor from and against any and all claims based on publicity rights, defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright infringement, trade-mark infringement or any other intellectual property related cause of action that relates in any way to Sponsor’s use of the entry.

Drawing: On or about August 07, 2025, five (5) potential winners will be selected based on predefined criteria and a rigorous multi-stage judging process. The odds of being selected depend on the accuracy relative to the scoring rubric.

Notification and Requirements of Potential Winners: Sponsor will attempt to notify potential winner(s) within five (5) business days of the drawing by email. The selected entrant must reply by email within two (2) business days of notification and correctly answer a time-limited mathematical skill-testing question, without assistance of any kind, whether mechanical or otherwise, to be administered by email.

If a potential winner does not respond within three (3) calendar days after the notice is sent, the Sponsor will select an alternate potential winner in his/her place at random from all remaining entries received, and administer a time-limited mathematical skill-testing question by email. Only three (3) alternate potential winners will be contacted. Except where prohibited, a potential winner may be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release. If a potential winner fails to sign and return these documents within the required time period, an alternate potential winner may be selected in his/her place in a random drawing of all remaining entries received.

All submissions will be reviewed and judged by a panel of representatives from the Associated Companies, who will evaluate the quality of each application against a pre-defined rubric, with a focus on the clarity, purpose, and potential impact of the proposed use of prizing. Selected winners will be contacted directly and will receive their prizing from The GIST.

Potential winners will be selected based on their submission to the questions “What is your ultimate sports ambition,” and “If you were our next champion, how would you use the money towards your ambition?” and the following criteria:

  • Demonstrated passion and commitment: Clearly articulates an ambition that aligns with the spirit of driving change and innovation within the sports industry.
  • Points: 0-10
  • Weighting: 30%
  • Potential for tangible impact with the support package: Provides a strong, thoughtful rationale for how the prize funds will be used to advance their ambition and make a meaningful impact.
  • Points: 0-10
  • Weighting: 30%
  • Alignment with CIBC's "Champions of Ambition" platform: Demonstrates the potential to represent CIBC and The GIST’s mission of elevating underrepresented voices and embodying the values of positive change in the sports community.
  • Points: 0-10
  • Weighting: 15%
  • Storytelling potential: Applicant has the ability to create a compelling narrative to be featured cross-channel.
  • Points: 0-10
  • Weighting: 15%
  • Clarity and Creativity: Response is clear, creative, and engaging.
  • Points: 0-10
  • Weighting: 10%

Selected winners will be required to utilize the awarded funds to pursue the ambition stated in their application. Winners must also participate in follow-up content initiatives, including providing updates and materials that document how they used their prize and the resulting impact. These stories will be shared across The GIST’s channels and may also be amplified through CIBC’s owned platforms. All promotional content will be produced and shared in coordination with the winners.

Prize(s): Five (5) prizes will be awarded.

Description of Prizes: Each verified winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize to use towards their ambition. In addition, winners will be featured across The GIST’s newsletter and social channels as part of an editorial spotlight. The intention of the program is to help winners bring their personal or professional ambitions to life, with support from CIBC and The GIST. Winners will also receive complimentary promotional coverage across The GIST’s channels to further amplify their stories and achievements.

Prize must be accepted as awarded and may not be substituted, transferred or otherwise, except at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to substitute a prize of greater or equivalent monetary value if a prize cannot be awarded as described for any reason. Sponsor will not replace any lost or stolen prizes. Any other costs or expenses associated with the prizes not specified herein will be the responsibility of selected winners. General Conditions: In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Contest is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Contest to address the impairment and then resume the Contest in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) award the prize(s) at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Failure by Sponsor to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. Proof of sending any communication to Sponsor by mail shall not be deemed proof of receipt of that communication by Sponsor. In the event of a dispute as to any online entry, the authorized account holder of the email address used to enter will be deemed to be the participant. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person who is assigned to an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address.

Agreement to Media Terms: By participating in this Contest, all participants acknowledge and agree that any content (including but not limited to text, images, video, audio, testimonials, and other submissions) shared or created as part of this program and published on The GIST’s channels may be used by CIBC for future marketing and promotional purposes, in any media format, without further permission or compensation. This includes but is not limited to CIBC’s owned channels, paid media, and partner promotions, provided such use aligns with the original intent of the program.

Release and Limitations of Liability: By participating in the Contest, you agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor, its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, the prize providers (including the Canadian Imperial Bank of Canada [CIBC]) and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents (the “Released Parties”) from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone, or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) lost, late, postage due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (e) errors in the administration of the Contest or the processing of entries; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Contest or receipt or use of any prize. You further agree that in any cause of action, the Released Parties’ liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Contest, and in no event shall the Released Parties be liable for attorney’s fees. You waive the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.

Privacy and Use of Information Submitted; Any information you submit as part of the Contest will be used for purposes of this Contest and treated in accordance with Sponsor’s Privacy Policy as otherwise set forth in these Official Rules. Except where prohibited, participation in the contest constitutes an entrant’s consent to Sponsor’s use of his/her name, likeness, voice, opinions, biographical information, and state of residence for promotional purposes in any media without further payment or consideration.

Use of Entrant Information: By entering the Contest, you acknowledge and agree that Sponsor and the Contest Entities will use entrant’s information, including, without limitation, email address, phone number, mailing address, or any other contact information provided for general solicitation, marketing, or other business or promotional activities in connection with the services and products provided by Sponsor or the participating companies. You may at any time revoke the use of such information by providing written notice to Sponsor and each other participating company using the following addresses or by responding to a marketing email using the unsubscribe link provided in the email. Please note that your opt-out preference will apply to marketing communication and may not apply to transactional communication including those associated with your entry.

Disputes: Except where prohibited, you agree that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in Toronto, ON. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, your rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of Sponsor in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of ON, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of Ontario or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than Ontario.

Third Party Platforms: If this Contest is hosted, administered, or operated on a third party platform, including without limitation a social media platform (e.g. Instagram, Facebook or Twitter) (“Third Party Platform”), then by participating in this Contest, entrants hereby release and agree to comply with all rules and policies set forth by such Third Party Platform and to hold harmless such Third Party Platform from any and all liability, loss or damages arising from or in connection with the awarding, receipt, and/or use or misuse of prizes or participation in any prize related activities. Unless otherwise stated to the contrary in these Official Rules, this Contest is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, any Third Party Platform.