Teaming up to champion equal opportunity for the world’s best women’s hockey players, today Secret® Deodorant and Sportsnet have announced their partnership to deliver exclusive English-language TV and streaming coverage of the Canadian leg of the Secret Dream Gap Tour. Marking a broadcast milestone in Canada, the partnership will showcase the superstars of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) across live game coverage, exclusive content and cross-platform promotion.
The Canadian leg of the Secret Dream Gap Tour will take place in Calgary, AB from May 24-30 and is being further supported by the Calgary Flames who have stepped up to provide financial assistance, as well as access to various organizational resources. This partnership with the Flames will be the PWHPA’s fifth NHL partnership this season.
The round-robin competition will feature Team Scotiabank (Calgary), Team Sonnet (Toronto) and Team Bauer (Montreal) as they face-off to become the first-ever Canadian Secret Cup champion.
As the exclusive English-language broadcast home of the Secret Dream Gap Tour, Sportsnet will air three matchups across its national TV networks on May 28, May 29 and May 30. Games set to be played from May 24-27 will be available to Canadian fans on Sportsnet’s streaming platform, SN NOW. (Full broadcast details will be released at a later date).
“We believe these women deserve the same opportunities and level of exposure as men – and we are committed to making that happen. Last year we showed our support by standing with the PWHPA and its players in their fight for a new professional league and now we want the whole country to see these athletes shine,” said Secret Senior Executive Director Lisa Reid. “We are so proud to make history in Canada with this national broadcast with Sportsnet and provide these incredible athletes with the platform they deserve. I am so excited for my daughters and other young girls across Canada to be able to see themselves in these athletes and know that with hard work and determination, they are unstoppable and their opportunities, limitless.”
The Secret Dream Gap Tour comes as part of the $1 million commitment Secret made to the PWHPA last fall, underscoring their belief that equal sweat deserves equal opportunity and putting that belief into action. Secret’s contribution has helped to ensure the PWHPA’s players are given adequate access to training and opportunities to compete at an elite level. With sponsorship from Secret and the national platform provided by Sportsnet—this partnership will increase the visibility of these top athletes, providing them an opportunity to showcase their talent, share their stories and grow their fan base.
“Sportsnet has long been a champion of women’s sport and we are excited to provide these exceptional athletes with a national platform fitting of their passion, skill and commitment to hockey,” said Bart Yabsley, President, Sportsnet. “As storytellers first and foremost, we have the privilege of helping Canadians get to know these players. We look forward to working hand-in-hand with Secret and the PWHPA to shine a very bright spotlight on women’s hockey and its greatest advocates.”
Complementing the live coverage of the Secret Dream Gap Tour action in Calgary, Secret Deodorant and Sportsnet will collaborate to produce a content series featuring Erin Ambrose, Melodie Daoust, Brigette Lacquette and Sarah Nurse, set to air nationally on Sportsnet’s Hockey Night in Canada. Additionally, Secret has devoted ad spend to Sportsnet and is providing players with additional income and exposure through social partnerships.
“We’re excited to partner with these great organizations and give Canadians coast-to-coast the chance to watch these games and support these incredible athletes,” says PWHPA Operations Consultant Jayna Hefford. “Secret has been a catalyst for change at the PWHPA and has helped us take many incredible leaps forward in women’s professional hockey. With the additional support of Sportsnet and its unparalleled national reach, we are thrilled to offer these athletes the platform they deserve and show the country why they are worth cheering for.”
Secret Dream Gap Tour – Event Details
• This seven-day event will act as the Canadian leg of the Secret Dream Gap Tour in partnership with the Calgary Flames
• Team Scotiabank (Calgary), Team Sonnet (Toronto) and Team Bauer (Montreal) will compete
• Six games total in a round robin format, plus one championship game
• Teams will play against each other twice for a total of four games each
• The top two teams coming out of the round robin— ranked through PWHPA’s new scoring system — will battle to be crowned the Canadian Secret Cup Champions
Earlier this year the PWHPA’s two US-based teams – Team Women’s Sport Foundation (New Hampshire) and Team adidas (Minnesota) – competed across two showcase events in NYC and Chicago, which ended in victory for Team adidas. The USA Secret Cup Champions will be crowned later this year.
The Canadian leg of the North American Secret Dream Gap Tour is scheduled to take place in a quarantined environment. The Calgary event will follow extensive protocols and procedures to prioritize player and personnel health and safety, including mandatory quarantine, daily COVID-19 screening, regular PCR testing privately acquired through DynaLife, and isolated accommodations.
Although fans will not be in attendance, Canadian hockey fans will get a front row seat to the action on Sportsnet beginning May 24.
Full showcase details, including game times and rosters, will be announced at a later date. Additional PWHPA information, scores and player stats can be found at PWHPA.com.
About Secret
Secret® was the first antiperspirant brand designed specifically for women, and for the past 60 years, Secret® has been on the forefront of women’s lives, leading with innovation designed to provide superior odor and wetness protection. Through the years, the brand has proudly supported women’s advancement and equality through its campaigns and communications. Its latest campaign, “All Strength, No Sweat,” is a continuation of this commitment to women, celebrating those who boldly challenge the status quo, push through barriers and stand up for what they believe in, without “sweating” the obstacles that may come their way. Secret® challenges women everywhere to be all strength, no sweat.
www.equalsweat.ca
About Sportsnet
Sportsnet is Canada’s #1 sports media brand. Uniting Canadians through sport, Sportsnet’s multimedia offerings include Sportsnet (consisting of 4 regional channels: East, Ontario, West, and Pacific), Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet World, the Sportsnet Radio Network, Sportsnet.ca , Sportsnet NOW, SN NOW+, the Sportsnet app, and podcasts. Sportsnet is the official Canadian NHL national multiplatform rights holder, and is the regional broadcaster for the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Sportsnet also has extensive coverage of the Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Raptors, as well as NBA, MLB, Grand Slam of Curling, National Bank Open presented by Rogers, CHL, IndyCar, WWE, Super League Rugby, Premiership Rugby, Bundesliga, FA Women’s Super League, and FA Cup. Sportsnet is part of Rogers Sports & Media, which is a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX, NYSE: RCI). Visit Sportsnet.ca.
About Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA)
Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association’s (PWHPA) mission is to promote, advance and support a single, viable professional women’s ice hockey league in North America that showcases the greatest product of women’s professional ice hockey in the world. The organization aims to provide a united voice to players advocating for the creation of a sustainable professional league. Comprised of the world’s best hockey players including 38 Olympians, 60+ members of Hockey Canada and USA Hockey, and National Champions for Canada, USA, Finland and Russia. PWHPA is working to accomplish its mission by coordinating training needs and programming opportunities during the 2020-2021 season and collaborating with like-minded organizations to make hockey more inclusive for women today and for future generations. To learn more about PWHPA and the Dream Gap tour visit www.pwhpa.com.