TSN and RDS announced today they have partnered with Canadian food brand Janes® and Hockey Canada on a new initiative to honour and recognize trailblazers in women’s hockey during their upcoming broadcasts of the 2021 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP (Dec. 25 – Jan. 5) and the 2021 IIHF WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP next spring. With the unwavering commitment to grow and celebrate the women’s game, the partnership encourages positive change and gender parity in hockey by rallying and championing voices from across the hockey community.
Canada’s National Junior Team goalies Dylan Garand, Taylor Gauthier, and Devon Levi will honour the women’s game by wearing uniquely designed goalie masks during three key games. These masks feature six of the top Canadian women’s hockey players of all time and were selected through a nationwide poll on Hockey Canada’s website. The first pair to be featured will be four-time Olympic Gold Medallists Caroline Ouellette and Jayna Hefford. The remaining pairs will be announced on December 16th and 18th. The new partnership also includes multi-platform Janes sponsorship elements airing across TSN and RDS’s broadcast, digital, and social media platforms.
“We believe what gets celebrated grows and we want to be agents of positive change to grow the game together,” said Joanne Stencell, Senior Manager of Sponsorships, Sofina Foods. “That is why we created the Janes’ ALL IN program: to ensure that women’s hockey gets the attention it deserves. Janes products have been the number one choice for Canadians for years and we are delighted that our widely recognized packaging and in-store presence will help honour great Canadian hockey players. Our partnership with Hockey Canada, TSN, and RDS will propel our goal even higher. We chose to use the goalie masks, a famous icon, to shine a light on some of the greatest women’s hockey players ever. We can’t wait for the next chapter at the upcoming Women’s World Championship in Halifax and Truro.”
“We are delighted to partner with Janes, TSN, and RDS in this unique and innovative recognition of the legends of the women’s game and inspire the next generation of young girls and boys as part of Janes’ ALL IN program,” said Dana Gladstone, Vice-President, Partnership Strategy & Licensing for Hockey Canada. “Janes’ ALL IN program is a marvelous collaboration that champions the growth of the women’s game in Canada.”
“The upcoming World Juniors and Women’s World Championship are national celebrations of the game of hockey, and they are the perfect platforms to launch this significant new partnership between TSN, RDS, Janes, and Hockey Canada,” said Justin Stockman, Vice-President, Brand Partnerships and Client Strategy, Bell Media. “Together through these unique brand integrations, including these incredible customized goalie masks, we are proud to collectively amplify and champion women’s hockey.”
Janes and TSN also worked closely with MediaCom Sport & Entertainment to develop the marketing and media strategy around the ALL IN program.
Speaking to the significance of the partnership are several Janes ambassadors, including Sarah Nurse, Caroline Ouellette, Jamie Drysdale, and many more:
“Our generation is always looking to inspire the next, and programs like Janes’ ALL IN give us the platform to do that – to grow our game. Growing up, I looked to the women of Team Canada for my inspiration, and now I hope young girls can look to us to show them that anything is possible for women in this game.” – Sarah Nurse
“The journey gets better with each new generation of women’s hockey in Canada. I’m proud to be a brand ambassador for Janes. Programs like their ALL IN initiative ensure that our daughters who play hockey have increased opportunities in the game we all love.” – Caroline Ouellette
“There are so many great women’s hockey moments in the history of Team Canada, and they should be celebrated. I think it’s great that our team’s goalie masks will be recognizing some of the women who made these special moments.” – Jamie Drysdale
As previously announced, the 2021 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP marks the 31st anniversary of the tournament airing on Canada’s Sports Leader. The complete 2021 World Juniors tournament schedule is available here.