CANTON, Mass. (December 9, 2015) – Dunkin’ Donuts is skating in as the first official corporate sponsor of the new National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL). As part of a new multi-year agreement announced today, Dunkin’ Donuts is now the official coffee and quick service restaurant of the NWHL.
Through Dunkin’ Donuts’ partnership, the brand will coordinate youth hockey clinics with team representatives in each market throughout the league’s inaugural season. Along with league sponsorship, Dunkin’ Donuts has also entered into a personal services agreement with NWHL team Buffalo Beauts’ star and US Women’s Team Captain, Meghan Duggan. Duggan has been a member of the US Women’s
National Team since 2006 winning 5 IIHF Women’s World Championships and 2 Olympic Silver medals. Additional highlights of the partnership include the Dunkin’ Donuts logo featured on all team jerseys, signage on league goal posts and behind each bench, and advertising on www.nwhl.co and each team website.
“The popularity of women’s hockey is rapidly growing and our sponsorship of the National Women’s Hockey League is a perfect way for Dunkin’ Donuts to support this exciting new league,” said Tom Manchester, Vice President, Field Marketing, Dunkin’ Brands. “Additionally, the founding four franchises are located in key Dunkin’ Donuts markets in the Northeast, and we believe our guests will be excited to learn more about the NWHL and help them make this inaugural season a wonderful success.”
The National Women’s Hockey League launched on October 11, 2015 with four founding franchises in Boston, Buffalo, Connecticut and New York. The 88 NWHL athletes, including 10 Olympians, have committed to an 18 game schedule, with multiple practices-per-week, an All-Star weekend (January 23-24, 2016 in Buffalo) and playoffs. The inaugural season will conclude in March 2016 when the first NWHL champion team raises the Isobel Cup, the championship trophy named after Lord Stanley’s daughter.
“Dunkin Donuts is recognized across the country as the brand that keeps people running, or in our case skating. We are thrilled to have them as an important part of promoting the National Women’s Hockey League, its teams and some of the best female athletes in the world” says Dani Rylan, Commissioner of the NWHL. “”The image of players, coaches and fans walking into an ice-rink with a cup of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee in-hand has been a part of the hockey culture for generations. Through this partnership, the Dunkin brand won’t just grow the game, but will inspire the nearly 70,000 women who play the sport across the United States.”
Dunkin’ Donuts has a long and proud history of partnerships within the sporting industry, including the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets, New York Giants, New York Jets, New England Patriots, and Philadelphia Eagles.
