“Up Close” is an All Habs Hockey Magazine feature that gives readers a back-stage pass to athletes, management and sports personalities via our exclusive interviews.  Previous guests have included HNIC’s Steve Porter, NASCAR’s Andrew Ranger, Habs prospect Mark MacMillan, Montreal’s Annakin Slayd, Canadiens’ assistant captain Josh Gorges , Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Ken Dryden and legendary goalie coach Francois Allaire.   This week the spotlight is on sports apparel entrepreneur Jason Portnoy.

by Amy Johnson, Managing Editor, HockeyPub.com

MONTREAL, QC — By now you’re probably familiar with the All Habs mantra which proclaims, “Habs fans are everywhere!”.  It’s true, whether they’re Canadians who have moved to different locales around the world or simply folks who live in a different corner of the earth and recognize a legendary team when they see one, there’s no denying that supporters of the Montreal Canadiens can be found in practically every corner of the globe.

But some fans can say they were born with luck on their side by getting to call Montreal home for as long as they can remember.  Jason Portnoy happens to be one of those lucky ones and says there was never a doubt while growing up which team he would be rooting for.  “Growing up in Montreal, it’s hard not to be a fan. I remember my first pack of O-Pee-Chee hockey cards had a Patrick Roy rookie card. I also remember being taken out of class to go to the ’93 parade.”

But it wasn’t just hockey that captivated Jason.  He developed a passion for sports of all types at a young age, which he continues to foster.  “Growing up I was a huge basketball fan and my team was (and still is) the Indiana Pacers.  I was a huge Reggie Miller fan.  I was an Expos fan – Pedro Martinez is my favorite player and when he went to the Red Sox I became a Red Sox fan, which is the team I root for now, and I’m a Cowboys fan in football.”

What Jason didn’t predict as a youngster was that someday he would own a successful clothing company which would provide him the opportunity to meet and connect with many of his sports idols.  He’s the President and Founder of True Rivalry, a Montreal-based sports apparel designer and manufacturer specializing in unlicensed merchandise geared toward fans of all sports and teams.

“At first I wanted to be a doctor and work for a sports team,” Portnoy recalls.  His career aspirations would actually evolve quite a bit.  “Then I wanted to be a lawyer.  I got accepted to law school.”  But instead of pursuing a career in law, Jason began focusing on the world of business after graduating with a BA from Concordia University.  “I became an avid student of marketing and branding.”

Eventually he found his way onto the path of entrepreneurship through a business basic: supply and demand.  “All the tees out there were just a boring logo tee and I thought there has to be something better out there.  Fortunately for me now, there wasn’t.”  His first t-shirt design, the “Halak Stop Sign” shirt which has since been copyrighted, was an instant success.  “A brand was needed for REAL and stylish sports fans,” he decided.

Fortunately for Jason, his road to success was paved with guidance from some very important mentors.  One business relationship he values the most is the one he has developed with Daymond John, CEO and founder of FUBU clothing company and star of the hit reality TV show “Shark Tank.”  “I was lucky to have great mentors.  Daymond is one of them.  He consults with us once a quarter and he’s saved True Rivalry from making a lot of mistakes.  I truly respect him as a businessman and as a person.  When it comes to clothing, marketing and branding, the man is a genius.”

From Jason’s perspective, it’s easy to see why he enjoys getting up for work each morning.  “I work in the sports market and as a sports fan coming up with sports designs, it’s a dream job!”  But between getting to meet some of his favorite professional athletes and notable musicians and seeing his designs being proudly worn by customers all around the world, what is Jason’s favorite part of being a business owner?  “Getting an order. Stores ordering are great, but I still get excited about an order for one tee online. I don’t think I’ll ever lose that feeling and I don’t want to. It’s someone choosing to spend their money with us. There’s a million ways they could’ve spent their money, but they chose to come to our brand and shop. It’s something we are extremely grateful for and do our best to reward our customers and fans.”

That kind of commitment to his customer base and to maintaining a high level of quality in his products has brought Jason rewards of his own.  As he continues to expand and build upon the strong foundation he’s already established, he believes he’s found the principle that will carry him and his business towards many more successes and achievements.  “You just need to really believe and be passionate in what you are doing.”  It’s a passion that all began when a young boy in Montreal opened a pack of hockey cards and found an inspiration.

Photo credits: Jason Portnoy

Want to find out more about the history and success of True Rivalry sporting apparel?   Check out this excerpt from an article posted on our sister site, HockeyPub.com:

Based in Montreal, True Rivalry has a mission “To be the brand for the TRUE and PASSIONATE sports fan and to offer the best quality products and the best customer service while doing so.” They offer high quality, unisex t-shirts, hoodies, and hats, and are currently working on the creation of women’s and kid’s lines of clothing as well. According to Jason, his merchandise caters to fans at all levels. “From the ones who would miss their own wedding for a playoff game to the casual fan and even to the person who just wants to wear a cool and stylish looking tee.”

So how did this Montreal native go from being on track to attend law school to starting up his own clothing company? Jason says he was tired of buying player shirts year after year, only to have to throw them away when those players got traded, not to mention that he believed they looked too casual for some occasions.

Read the full story!  Click here–> True Rivalry: Wear Your Allegiance Proudly