Air Canada brings flight to atheletes
Air Canada has partnered with the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) to become its premier partner for the inaugural season, which kicked off with the Toronto-New York game on Jan. 1.
The partnership gives Air Canada the intellectual property rights to all PWHL teams (Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Boston, Minnesota and New York), including broadcast rights and in-market assets. The airline also acquired the branding rights to the official jerseys of the Montreal PWHL team, and will be the official airline of the league.
Air Canada will promote the PWHL and its players via social media as well as in a new campaign, “We All Fly” (pictured), which includes a video starring young PWHL hopefuls alongside Canadian hockey legend Mélodie Daoust. Aimed at hockey fans, the social campaign will run ahead of each PWHL home opener. FCB Canada handled the creative side of the campaign, while Weber Shandwick led PR.
“The impact of Air Canada’s partnership with the PWHL furthers our commitment to supporting the next generation of women’s hockey and championing gender equality. We hope it will inspire the next generation of talented women hockey players to follow their dreams in achieving greatness at the highest level,” Air Canada director of brand marketing Martine Boulerice told MiC.
The agreement with the PWHL follows previous partnerships Air Canada closed in the women’s sports arena, such as with the Women’s National Basketball Association and Canada’s planned Project 8 women’s professional soccer league.
Rogers goes behind the scenes with the league
PWHL has also entered a multi-year partnership with Rogers Communications that will allow the company to act as the league’s official telecommunications partner.
Under the deal, Rogers will broadcast live games, as well as behind-the-scenes content on the lives of the league’s top players. It will also sponsor a closed-door training session in each city, “helping young female athletes experience firsthand how the pros train and prepare,” according to a press release.
Additionally, Rogers will be featured on the Montreal team’s helmets and through in-arena signage and promotions. The company is working with agency SDI Sports to activate the sponsorship.
Rogers will broadcast the games on Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet+. The PWHL also closed other broadcast deals for the season with CBC/Radio-Canada, TSN and RDS.
