Air Canada, PWHL sign partnership deal

Air Canada and the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) have signed a partnership deal ahead of the PWHL’s inaugural season opener on Jan. 1, 2024. The deal sees Air Canada become an Inaugural Premier Partner of the PWHL and Official Airline for the league’s first six teams, reflecting its deep passion for hockey and sharing the best of Canada with the world.

Andy Shibata, vice president, brand at Air Canada, said: “To partner with the PWHL and be part of this historic moment in hockey history is incredibly exciting and meaningful to all of us at Air Canada.”

Shibata continued: “As Canada’s national carrier, and a longstanding supporter of Canadian sports, this partnership reflects the love we share with our customers for hockey, as well as our work in championing gender equality in the aviation industry.”

Amy Scheer, senior vice president of business operations, PWHL, said: “We’re delighted to team up with Canada’s national carrier as an Inaugural Premier Partner and Official Airline to the PWHL.”

Scheer continued: “We feel privileged to fly with Air Canada, a connection that reflects our shared values and the enormous potential for the league, its players and our future stars, as we take the sport to new heights.”

The airline is also celebrating this historic partnership with a new inspirational ad campaign, entitled “We All Fly,” featuring a cadre of young PWHL hopefuls alongside Canadian hockey legend Mélodie Daoust, which will premiere ahead of each PWHL home opener.

As part of the PWHL partnership, Air Canada is granted intellectual property (IP) rights for all six PWHL teams in Boston, Minnesota, Montreal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto, the PWHL itself, broadcast, in-venue, and in-market assets, as well as official jersey branding rights for Montreal’s PWHL team. Air Canada will also provide travel support for the league and its players, and will celebrate and promote the PWHL and its future stars across its marketing and communications channels.

The PWHL deal also builds on Air Canada’s prior partnerships in professional women’s hockey, and in women’s sports including with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), as well as the planned Project 8 professional women’s soccer league in Canada.

In addition, and furthering its commitment to supporting the next generation of women’s hockey, Air Canada will host a local girls’ junior hockey team at each historical PWHL home opener in Canada, including Jan. 1 in Toronto, Jan. 2 in Ottawa, and Jan. 13 in Montreal.

Air Canada’s passion for sports and sharing the best of Canada with the world extends to being official airline to all seven Canadian NHL teams, the Toronto Raptors and Team Canada. Through its unique yearly Air Canada Fan Flight program, the airline also continues to reward deserving fans, bringing them closer to their favourite teams with unique VIP NHL and NBA experiences. Air Canada Fan Flight is just one of the ways the airline is continually giving back to the community and celebrating the passion of fans across North America.

Go to www.aircanada.com and www.thepwhl.com for more.