Jay Downton, Oodle Noodle
Jay Downton has been around sports his whole life.
They are what built his identity, his community and his career.
“That's where I met most of my friends, friends that I still have today,” Jay says, “It also gave me something to look forward to after school.”
Jay’s love of sports grew from playing into a passion project: The Oilersnation sports blog, which covers the Edmonton Oilers to this day. That grew into the Nation Network, a series of sports blogs in the same vein covering several other NHL teams, as well as Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays.
“The version one business plan of Oilersnation was to build a company that can pay for season tickets, make car loan payments and maybe pay for a golf membership,” Jay laughs. “That was the initial goal for the site. To see where it's gone today… you gotta pull yourself back and be like, ‘wow, holy crap.’”
Jay is also co-owner and president of Oodle Noodle, alongside founder and fellow co-owner Sonny Pham, who he’s known since before Sonny opened his first restaurant.
“Sonny is a very interesting guy, I mean that in the best way possible,” Jay says. Super hard working, super passionate about providing for his family, both here and back home in Vietnam… You just want to help that guy.”
When Sonny bought his Edmonton factory, where Oodle Noodle’s tofu, sauces, and famous noodles are made by Sonny and his team, he asked Jay and his business partner to franchise his concept. Twelve years after the opening of the “Noodle Factory,” Oodle Noodle has 17 locations in the Edmonton area and Airdrie.
“My passion always lies with brand-building, storytelling, marketing, and community,” Jay says. “Oilersnation, doesn't get to where it is without establishing a real-life community to support the brand that we built. Same thing with Oodle Noodle. It's building community, it's investing in our community.”
When Jay learnt about Free Play through the grapevine, he knew how important it was to get involved. Now, Jay and his companies have become loyal sponsors of Free Play teams, they donate food to the food program and are constantly thinking about new ways to showcase Free Play’s invaluable role in the community.
“Supporting programs like Free Play is very important for us,” he says. “And it’s something that resonates with me.”
“[Sports are] where you build your social circles. Secondary families. We're still telling stories, me and my buddies, about peewee hockey or baseball tournaments… Those stories still get told today, 30 years later. And that just kind of proves the impact that sports have.”
So Jay and his team are committed.
They are committed to keep supporting Free Play, so all kids get that opportunity to tell a story of fun and friendship 30 years later.
And, Jay knows that in Free Play, there is very likely the next big blogger, the next restaurant owner, the next company owner and the next builder of community.
That’s worth the investment.
Written by Stefan Salegio
