The professional ice hockey league in North America, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has inked a sponsorship deal with the Canada-based airline company, Air Canada.
Air Canada has been named as the PWHL’s inaugural premier partner and the official airline for the league’s first six teams ahead of the league’s opening on January 1, 2024. This announcement reflects Air Canada’s passionate devotion for hockey and its mission to showcase the best of Canada to the world.
Andy Shibata, Vice President, Brand at Air Canada, said, “To partner with the PWHL and be part of this historic moment in hockey history is incredibly exciting and meaningful to all of us at Air Canada. As Canada’s national carrier, and a longstanding supporter of Canadian sports, this partnership reflects the love we share with our customers for hockey, as well as our work in championing gender equality in the aviation industry.”
Amy Scheer, Senior Vice President of Business Operations, PWHL, commented, “We’re delighted to team up with Canada’s national carrier as an Inaugural Premier Partner and Official Airline to the PWHL. We feel privileged to fly with Air Canada, a connection that reflects our shared values and the enormous potential for the league, its players and our future stars, as we take the sport to new heights.”
A new uplifting commercial campaign known as “We All Fly,” which stars a group of young PWHL hopefuls with Canadian hockey legend Mélodie Daoust, is being released by the airline in honour of this momentous partnership. It will debut before each PWHL home opener.
As part of the PWHL collaboration, Air Canada has been provided broadcast, in-venue, and in-market rights, official jersey branding rights for Montreal’s PWHL team, and intellectual property (IP) rights for each of the six PWHL teams—Boston, Minnesota, Montreal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto—as well as the PWHL itself.
Additionally, Air Canada will help the league’s players’ travel needs and use its marketing and communication platforms to honour and highlight the PWHL and its upcoming talents.
The PWHL agreement also expands upon Air Canada’s previous collaborations in women’s sports, such as professional women’s hockey, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the upcoming Project 8 professional women’s soccer league in Canada. Additionally, Air Canada will be hosting a local girls’ junior hockey team at each landmark PWHL home opener in Canada, notably January 1 in Toronto, January 2 in Ottawa, and January 13 in Montreal, as part of its continued commitment to promote the next generation of women’s hockey players.
In addition to serving as the official airline of Team Canada and all seven Canadian NHL teams, Air Canada is also driven by a passion for sports and showcasing the best of Canada to the world. The airline additionally continues to honour deserving fans by providing them with exclusive VIP NHL and NBA experiences, drawing them closer to their favourite teams via its special annual Air Canada Fan Flight program.