The Professional Women’s Hockey League announced today that Bauer Hockey will serve as the exclusive jersey partner for the PWHL starting from the 2024-25 season, providing game and replica jerseys for all six teams in the league.
„Bauer is a leader in supporting the performance needs of the league and many of the world’s best hockey players, and we are proud that their commitment to the PWHL will expand to jerseys next season,“ said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations in the press release. „This expanded partnership highlights Bauer’s longstanding support of women’s hockey and the development and promotion of the game at all levels.“
The press release states that a portion of replica jersey sales will contribute to funding a program „aimed at introducing more girls to hockey and expanding the PWHL fan base.“
The new jerseys (and presumably the actual team names and logos?) will all be unveiled at some point before the second season of the 2024-25 league. In their current inaugural season, the six teams only used their city name and wore generic jerseys with the city name diagonally – much like the New York Rangers. A number of names were trademarked by the league a few months ago, but the league said they were just names they had considered.
„This year, the players and leadership of the PWHL have created a turning point that will have sustainable and positive impacts on girls and women for generations to come and far beyond the sport of hockey,“ commented Mary-Kay Messier, Vice President of Global Marketing at Bauer Hockey and member of the NHL Female Advisory Board in the release. „We are proud to expand our partnership by leveraging our passionate hockey audience and expertise to enhance the fan experience, attract new families, and continue to support the growth of the PWHL.“
The PWHL was established on January 1, 2024, bringing together the sport of professional women’s hockey. It has six teams in Boston, Minnesota, Montreal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto. Since its inception, the league has received unprecedented support and set the world record for women’s hockey attendance at a single game.