As the Winnipeg Jets enter Game 6 of their Western Conference Central Division battle against the Nashville Predators tonight on home ice, the official law firm for the Jets —Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP — is amping up its friendly rivalry with Nashville firm Bass Berry & Sims PLC.
As the Winnipeg Jets enter Game 6 of their Western Conference Central Division battle against the Nashville Predators tonight on home ice, the official law firm for the Jets —Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP — is amping up its friendly rivalry with Nashville firm Bass Berry & Sims PLC.
Going into tonight’s game, the Jets are leading the series 3-2, but if the Predators tie it up and win tonight, there will be another game Thursday night.
“The Jets and Predators series has been everything NHL fans expected,” says Keith LaBossiere, managing partner and CEO of TDS. “The two best teams in the NHL have battled hard each night, with their respective fans cheering fiercely behind them.”
While Nashville brings country music legends in to sing the national anthem in the hopes of propelling the Predators to victory, LaBossiere says that in Winnipeg, the Jets have been fuelled by the “whiteout” — when fans dress in one unified colour.
While the two teams from Manitoba and Tennessee are competing on the ice, their respective law firms wanted to do the same off the ice.
Last week, the two firms were exchanging tweets to show their competitive spirit: “There is a #WPGWHITEOUT coming your way, @BassBerrySims! Your friendly Manitoban @LexMundi law firm @TDSLAW will #RiseTogether and #GoJetsGO all the way for our @NHLJets #Winnipeg #Nashville #NHL
To which Bass Berry & Sims replied:
“To our fellow @LexMundi law firm @TDSLaw in Manitoba: Our #Nashville #Predators are coming for you tonight!
As Lex Mundi member firms, TDS and Bass Berry & Sims PLC have a strategic relationship and, as it turns out, they both have strong relationships to the teams on the ice. The Nashville Predators are a client of Bass Berry & Sims.
As a result, LaBossiere says, “These relationships only increased the reasons we wanted to engage in a friendly competition between our firms to up the stakes a bit."
"If (when) Winnipeg takes the series," La Bossiere says Bass Berry & Sims will be sending TDS an “authentic” Tennessee gift package. However, if Nashville takes out the Jets, TDS will send Bass Berry & Sims a Manitoba gift package consisting of an assortment of Manitoba-made food and beverage products, some TDS branded “swag” and a postcard featuring Winnipeg’s top tourist destinations.
Bass Berry & Sims managing partner, Todd Rolapp says the firm is “very proud of our team and client the Nashville Predators for winning the Western Conference last year, the President’s Trophy this year and making the NHL playoffs for the fourth year in a row.”
Rolapp adds that in addition to giving the Nashville firm a chance to watch “the amazing Winnipeg Whiteouts on TV,” the Preds-Jets series has also provided a great opportunity to get to know TDS.
But he didn’t miss the opportunity to emphasize Nashville’s track record:
“We want to thank TDS for agreeing to this friendly wager given that Winnipeg has never won the Western Conference or the President’s Trophy and missed the playoffs the last two years! Go Preds!