The National Women’s Hockey League has signed a partnership with athlete marketing platform Opendorse in an attempt to increase its players’ presence and engagement on social media.
As part of the deal, the NWHL will be able to send players personalized content, built specifically to engage their audiences, while players will have the option of adding their own messaging, including promoting the league’s corporate partners.
The partnership is the latest commercial deal for a league that appeared to be on the brink this summer when more than 200 of the world’s top female ice hockey players pledged to not compete in North America this season in an attempt to gain better pay and working conditions.
Many of those players are instead taking part in the rival ‘Dream Gap Tour’, which was organized by the newly-formed Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association.
But the NWHL has bounced back, securing a media-rights deal with Twitch as well as new corporate partnerships with clothing company American Giant, ice cream sandwich brand Chipwich and nutrition brand Veda, as well as renewal of its deals with NYU Langone Health and Dunkin’.
The Nebraska-based Opendorse also has marketing partnerships with the National Hockey League, the Ladies Professional Golf Association, NFL Players Association and the Women’s Tennis Association, among other sports properties.
