Air Canada has been named as a key sponsor for the newly established Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), aligning itself as the official airline for the league and its six teams across Canada and the United States. This partnership was announced in anticipation of the league's first game, scheduled for January 1 in Toronto, Ontario.
Amy Scheer, PWHL's Senior Vice President of Business Operations, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration with Air Canada, highlighting shared values and aspirations for the league's growth and the future of its players. The sponsorship agreement allows Air Canada branding on the Montreal team's jerseys and grants the airline intellectual property rights for all teams and the league. This includes broadcast and in-venue promotions, and Air Canada will also support travel for the league and promote it through various marketing channels.
Andy Shibata, Air Canada's Vice President of Brand, shared the excitement, emphasizing the airline's commitment to supporting Canadian sports and promoting gender equality within the aviation industry.
The league's broad visibility is further enhanced by significant broadcast agreements. National broadcasts in Canada will be handled by CBC/Radio-Canada, TSN, RDS and Sportsnet, with regional U.S. coverage by MSG Networks and NESN. Stan Kasten, a member of the PWHL advisory board, stressed the importance of these partnerships for increasing the sport's accessibility and popularity.
Additionally, all PWHL games will be available on the league's YouTube channel, with potential for more broadcast partners as the season progresses. This includes possible out-of-market distribution via networks like Sportsnet Pittsburgh.
Saroya Tinker, a retired defender and 2023 Isobel Cup champion, announced her new role as a broadcast analyst for PWHL games. She joined a team of experienced sports journalists and athletes, including Andi Petrillo of CBC Sports, Hailey Salvian of The Athletic, Tessa Bonhomme of TSN and others.
"Today, I am so incredibly excited to announce the next step in my career, as your newest @cbcsports @TSN_Sports @Sportsnet Analyst," the Yale graduate wrote on social media platform X. "Catch me January 1st on CBS Sports for PWHL Toronto vs. PWHL New York."
PWHL's inagural season
The PWHL is on track for an impressive debut, set to commence its first season on January 4, 2024, following its official establishment on August 29 of the current year. The league's inaugural game will see PWHL Toronto facing off against PWHL New York at the Mattamy Athletic Center in Toronto. The opening weekend will also feature matches involving the league's other four teams.
In a conversation with CBS Sports, league representative Jayna Hefford clarified the league's decision regarding the opening date. While January had always been the target, the specific choice of January 1 was seen as an ideal way to usher in the new year and the new league.
Speculation had arisen about the possibility of the PWHL participating in the NHL Winter Classic, hosted by the Seattle Kraken. Addressing these rumors, Hefford acknowledged that discussions had taken place between the PWHL and the NHL about a potential collaboration at the Winter Classic.
However, the decision was ultimately made to launch the league in its own home markets. Hefford emphasized the importance of this approach to let fans in these markets to experience their teams' debut games firsthand.