Secret® Deodorant Keeps Women’s Hockey Afloat During COVID-19 with $1 Million Commitment to PWHPA
Secret® Deodorant has pledged $1 million to the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA), marking the largest corporate investment in women’s professional hockey in North America. This commitment addresses the disparities faced by female athletes exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will support the Secret® Dream Gap Tour, featuring top players competing for cash prizes and promoting visibility for women’s hockey. The initiative aims to create equitable opportunities in sports for women while advocating for a sustainable professional league.
- Commitment of $1 million to PWHPA for women's hockey.
- Largest corporate investment in women's professional hockey in North America.
- Support for the Secret® Dream Gap Tour with top athletes competing for cash prizes.
- COVID-19 negatively impacted women's professional hockey growth.
- Ongoing disparity in resources and support for women's sports compared to men's.
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Over the last six months, no organization or individual has been immune to the COVID-19 crisis. And as we look to the future of our ‘new normal’, it’s become apparent women will face a disproportionate negative impact in their daily lives and in sport. As noted by Canadian Women & Sport*: “Huge revenue losses, deep cuts and a tight focus on ‘core business’ threaten initiatives dedicated to leveling the field for women. Marketers, media and investors may gravitate toward the ‘safe bet’ of men’s sport. And heightened competition for scarce resources—such as places to play and train—may leave more women and girls sitting on the bench.” While many men’s professional sports have continued to push forward defying all odds, women’s professional hockey has taken a back seat and is in jeopardy of losing all momentum.
Secret® Deodorant believes equal sweat deserves an equal opportunity and is committing
“As a brand committed to empowering and emboldening women, we can’t stand by and see gender equality unravel. Secret® proudly stands with the PWHPA and its players to fight for a new professional league to ensure all players – regardless of gender - are given the same chance and support to play,” says Secret® Senior Brand Director Lisa Reid. “Hockey is Canada’s sport, and this issue is both symbolic and pervasive. Countless women are being told they don’t deserve the same opportunities as men; tackling professional hockey equity is our first, but not last, fight. The PWHPA and its players represent the top athletes in the sport who deserve to have the same opportunities as the men.”
While these players shine on the Olympic stage, the years in between are very different. Until 2019, women’s professional hockey lacked adequate access to training facilities, equipment, ice time, salaries, support teams, marketing support and broadcast visibility. And last year, it got worse, with the shutdown of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League. This instigated the formation of the PWHPA and its first Dream Gap Tour. Secret® was one of the first brands to step up then, as they are now, to bring this issue to the national stage.
This year, 125 of the sport’s top players, including 38 Olympians like Marie-Philip Poulin, Natalie Spooner, Sarah Nurse, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Hilary Knight and Brianna Decker will take the ice in the Secret® Dream Gap Tour with teams in Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Minnesota and New Hampshire. Through a series of six Showcase events across North America, for the first time ever, players will compete for cash prizes and the Secret® Cup. Events like these are critical to bring attention to the incredible talent of these athletes and the need for better infrastructure to support girls’ and women’s hockey. The full player roster is now available on the PWHPA website.
“Thanks to brands like Secret®, players are given access to the necessary training facilities and resources and opportunities to compete, that professional sport demands. And fans are given the chance to cheer on their favourite athletes and rally behind their home teams,” says PWHPA Operations Consultant Jayna Hefford. “COVID-19 affected our positive momentum and threatened our upcoming season. We’re so thankful for Secret’s ongoing support of the PWHPA. The PWHPA is made up of the best hockey players in the world, the fans deserve a chance to watch these women play and our players deserve to be treated equitably. This is a pivotal moment to create real change in women’s professional sports.”
More About the Secret® Dream Gap Tour:
Who will take the ice during the Secret® Dream Gap Tour? Find the full roster at PWHPA.com. And join the PWHPA mailing list to be the first to know about upcoming events, league updates and merchandise.
Learn more about Secret’s commitment and the upcoming season at EqualSweat.ca.
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.
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 prove a united voice to players advocating for the creation of a sustainable professional league. Comprised of the world’s best female 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.
*More about Canadian Women & Sport
Canadian Women & Sport is dedicated to creating an equitable and inclusive Canadian sport and physical activity system that empowers girls and women—as active participants and leaders—within and through sport. With a focus on systemic change, we partner with sport organizations, governments, and leaders to challenge the status quo and build better sport through gender equity.
