The NWHL earlier this month signed its first leaguewide sponsorship with Dunkin’ Donuts, a sign to Commissioner Dani Rylan that there is more to come. "If you look back at our partnership to stream on ESPN3, the RSN deal with NESN and now this, I think it is really symbolic of where we’re going as a league," Rylan said. "On the sponsorship side, no one really wants to be the first, so for us to do a deal with such an iconic brand that is really excited about what we’re doing, I think it takes a huge weight off the next deal we do." Rylan, who brokered the Dunkin’ deal on behalf of the league, said that she expects that another partner will be brought on by the end of the year, if not soon after. The NWHL has a number of categories that it is specifically focusing on to fill in the coming months, she said. Those categories include QSR, banking and financial services, automotive, telecom and insurance. With its first season nearing its midpoint, Rylan said she has been pleased with the progress of the league. "Our biggest goal for this first year is awareness, and I think we’re working hard on that. We’ve put a lot of focus internally on improving the quality of our media and streaming, and I think the difference is noticeable," she said. "But ultimately, if it wasn’t for all the talent on the ice, none of these deals would happen. The on-ice product has been amazing, and it's really great, professional hockey that fans enjoy -- we’re thrilled about how things have gone to say the least” (Ian Thomas, Staff Writer).
CHANCES ARE: In Boston, Shira Springer wrote the entry of the Boston Pride into the NWHL "seemed like overkill." For starters, the CWHL Blades, another women’s pro hockey team, "already called Boston home and struggled to generate interest." Clearly, there "weren’t enough women’s hockey fans to support one pro franchise, never mind two." The NWHL "seemed destined for the alphabet soup of defunct women’s pro leagues," but that was before the Pride played their home opener "before a crowd of 1,600 and a NESN television audience." The minds behind the NWHL "thought long and hard about how to launch" the league. They "made smart decisions" and they "learned from the mistakes of other women’s pro leagues." It may "not be enough to break through the glut of sports options and ensure long-term success, but they have engineered an auspicious start" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/24).
