The Professional Women’s Hockey League is hoping a new sponsorship deal will help give its players the name recognition they deserve.
As part of celebrations leading up to International Women’s Day on Friday, March 8, the PWHL announced a new sponsorship deal with Molson Breweries that includes a jersey pilot project. For Friday’s game between Toronto and Montréal, the Molson logo will appear on the back of players’ jerseys above the numbers — a spot usually obscured by players’ hair — and their nameplates will move to below the numbers.
“By shifting the player’s name below their number, Molson is covering its name so hers can be seen,” the PWHL’s press release reads.
The jersey pilot is part of Molson’s See My Name campaign, which “seeks to foster greater inclusivity and equality in sports, sending a powerful message that disproportionately represented female athletes deserve to be seen, recognized and celebrated.” Molson and the PWHL say the jerseys are “just a first step of many in Molson’s mission to help elevate female hockey players.”
“International Women’s Day is important for celebrating and recognizing women who are change makers, which makes it fitting for an initiative like See My Name that provides unique recognition for PWHL players. I look forward to seeing Montréal and Toronto hit the ice with these special jerseys on Friday.”
— Jayna Hefford, PWHL senior vice president of hockey operations
“We’re proud to announce our upcoming new partnership with the PWHL in an actionable way. We’re huge fans of the league and its incredible athletes and launching See My Name felt like the best way to help the stars of the PWHL continue to shine.”
— Kara Fitzpatrick, marketing director, Molson™ & Economy Brands.
Toronto and Montréal face off at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto on Friday at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on Sportsnet in Canada and on NESN in the United States.