Harvey’s has bumped up its support of women’s hockey in Canada by expanding its sponsorship of the Professional Women’s Hockey Player’s Association (PWHPA).

Harvey’s first signed on as a PWHPA sponsor in May, providing financial support for tournaments and gift cards to players. Based on its experience last season, the QSR has expanded its partnership becoming the official team sponsor for the league’s Montreal hub, which will now be referred to as Team Harvey’s.

In addition to branded jerseys, the sponsorship will include contesting and integration of PWHPA players into Harvey’s marketing.

Chelsea Kellock, VP of marketing at Harvey’s, tied its support to its positioning as a home-grown Canadian brand, one that “loves hockey as much as the rest of the country,” as well as efforts to support diversity and inclusion.

Harvey’s is replacing Bauer, which sponsored the Montreal hub for the 2020-2021 season. Harvey’s partnered with Bauer as part of its activations earlier this year, which included giveaways on its social channels in the lead-up to Canadian showcases.

Other brands that have previously signed on for team naming rights include Sonnet Insurance (Toronto) and Scotiabank (Calgary), both of which are returning for the PWHPA’s upcoming season, details for which were announced last month. The PWHPA is currently without a sponsor for Team Minnesota, which was sponsored by the Women’s Sport Foundation last season, and Team Boston, which was created this year to replace Team New Hampshire.

P&G’s Secret brand is also the presenting sponsor of the Dream Gap Tour, the PWHPA’s flagship event. The Secret Dream Gap Tour features players grouped into five regional hubs that compete against each other in a series of events held in cities across North America. In addition to regulation tournament games, the tour also features exhibition games against local teams, fan engagement activities and skills clinics for local players.

Last month, the PWHPA announced its plans for the 2021-2022 season, including the first Dream Gap Tour stop in November at the Rath Eastlink Community Centre in Turo, Nova Scotia. As the region is preparing to enter the next phase of lifting pandemic restrictions, it is expected that the province will be one of the few places that will be able to allow venue capacity to host fans, cross-border play between teams and a full slate of activities. Activities at further events will be evaluated as COVID-19 restrictions ease in other other regions.

Sportsnet broadcast this year’s Dream Gap Tour, though broadcast plans for the upcoming season have yet to be announced.