Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association score big with video proclaiming their fight for the future of women’s hockey
Toronto, ON – February 26, 2021 – Billie Jean King, Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Patrick Chan, Cassie Campbell-Pascall, and Mayor John Tory, among others, have officially pledged their support for the Professional Women’s Hockey Association (PWHPA) and the best female hockey players in the world. They are all featured in a new video for the PWHPA #StickInTheGround campaign, which calls for everyone to put a #StickInTheGround for women’s ice hockey. The PWHPA—comprised of the world’s best hockey players— is advocating for a sustainable and viable professional women’s hockey league, and a future that includes more opportunities for young female athletes.
The goal of the PWHPA #StickInTheGround campaign, which will roll out over the next four weeks, is to highlight that the time is now to bring business and sport together to rally for a league that showcases the best professional women’s hockey in the world. It is intended to demonstrate that there is support—and demand—for the PWHPA’s vision of a professional league, which would include more than 43 medal-winning Olympians, 60+ members of Hockey Canada and USA Hockey, and National Champions from four countries including Finland and Russia.
The release of the #StickInTheGround video, featuring more than 30 high profile athletes and celebrities who generously gave of their time and endorsement, will coincide with the first-ever PWHPA Secret Dream Gap Tour Game at Madison Square Garden in New York, February 28, 2021. The video will be broadcast on the NHL Network in the United States and on Sportsnet in Canada, available on the PWHPA Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, and is being widely shared by PWHPA athletes and friends on social media platforms.
If Boys Can Dream of a Professional Hockey Career, Why Can’t Girls?
“Basketball with the WNBA, soccer with the NWSL and tennis with the WTA have all proven that fans are interested in watching the best athletes complete, regardless of their gender. Now is the time for hockey to have a truly professional league of its own,” says Jayna Hefford Operations Consultant of the PWHPA, four-time Canadian Gold medal Olympian and honoured member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. “Currently, there is no true professional league where women can earn a living wage and it’s time, we put our stick in the ground to fight for that opportunity. The world is ready and so are we.”
The 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. #StickInTheGround emphasizes the PWHPA’s vision for such a league to be created, so today’s female superstars can inspire tomorrow’s young female athletes to believe in a future where a professional hockey career is possible.
“It’s important for the sports world to recognize women’s professional sports leagues,” said Sarah Nurse, 2018 Olympic Silver Medalist with Team Canada, and current PWHPA player and board member. “Men and women should have equal opportunity in sports from the grassroots to the professional levels. Representation is everything, and it’s vital that young girls have visible role models and that young boys are able to see women as athletes and prominent figures in sport.”
Following their game at Madison Square Garden this weekend, the PWHPA will continue to build on their visibility when they’re in action at the United Centre in Chicago on March 6th, which will be broadcast live on NBCSN in the U.S. and Sportsnet in Canada.
About the 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. PWHPA is working to accomplish its mission by coordinating training needs and programming opportunities and collaborating with like-minded organizations to make hockey more inclusive for women and future generations. To learn more about PWHPA and the Secret Dream Gap Tour, visit pwhpa.com.
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For more information about the Stick In The Ground program or to arrange an interview with Jayna Hefford or a PWHPA Player please contact:
Ashley McLellan
PWHPA Media Consultant
media@pwhpa.com
Saul Lewis
PWHPA PR Consultant
slewis@strategicobjectives.com
Note:
The PWHPA would like to thank Judy Lewis and Saul Lewis of Strategic Objectives for their volunteer support to bring this unique campaign to life, the many professional athletes and community leaders who have generously endorsed our cause and David Hicks and Darren Clarke of Clarke and David for their support in producing our #StickInTheGround video.
