Sarah Nurse becoming the face of women's hockey with diverse endorsement portfolio

Two years since PWHL Toronto F Sarah Nurse's breakout performance at the Beijing Olympics, she has become “one of the biggest faces in women’s hockey,” according to Hailey Salvian of THE ATHLETIC. Nurse became the first woman to appear on the cover of an EA Sports hockey video game with NHL 23 and was a "key figure" in the launch of the PWHL. This month, she starred in a Canadian Super Bowl commercial and was “one of the busiest athletes during NHL All-Star Weekend,” appearing at several league and partner events. Nurse’s eight major endorsement deals put her “ahead of virtually every other professional hockey player, outside of a handful of NHL stars.” Among women and players of color, she is in "uncharted territory.” Salvian noted part of all of these moves are part of a “carefully crafted business plan developed by Nurse and her team at Dulcedo Management” to make Nurse “not just one of the faces of the game, but someone with the kind of celebrity that transcends her sport.” Nurse identified “four specific intersections of her own interests and growth opportunities: hockey, fashion and beauty, entrepreneurship and community.” Nurse now has eight major sponsors: Adidas, CCM, RBC, Canadian Tire, Tim Hortons, EA Sports, Chevrolet and, most recently, Dyson. She is also signed to “other paid partnerships with beauty brands such as Dove, L’Oréal and Revlon.” Nurse has thought about “pursuing several paths, from real estate investment to launching a clothing line or a production company.” Nurse: “I definitely have aspirations to expand and grow into different sectors.” Dulcedo Management Senior Athlete Manager Phoebe Balshin said, “We want her to be a face of hockey, period, not just women’s hockey. And of inclusion in sport” (THE ATHLETIC, 2/29).

GROUNDBREAKING WORK: In Toronto, Benjamin Steiner noted with salaries ranging from $35,000 to $80,000 per year in the PWHL, many players are “leaning on agents to secure brand deals that stretch those salaries even further.” Spencer Gillis started by working with former Toronto Six forward turned PWHL broadcaster Saroya Tinker before establishing 3G Sports Ltd., an agency "focused solely on women’s hockey." Gillis now represents 15 PWHLers. Hecate Sports Group's Eleni Demestihas is another agent “working solely in the women’s game.” She and Gillis have “led the charge in taking a holistic approach to representation by negotiating contracts while also seeking off-ice value through brand deals” or by “helping clients save on everyday items.” Demestihas helped PWHL Montreal F Jillian Dempsey land a deal with sports drink company LMNT and worked with PWHL Ottawa D Amanda Boulier to sign with Paddle Brewing Co. Gillis helped develop a partnership with Bauer for PWHL Boston F Alina Müller, and with Charlie Meals for PWHL Toronto F Brittany Howard (TORONTO STAR, 2/29).