Who Does This Help?

Hockey fans are rather astute. Many know facts and figures about the game that show their dedication to players and teams while others have spent years going over history to bring forth tidbits of knowledge that are relevant today. One thing that all hockey fans likely will agree on at this point in time is that ads on jerseys aren't going away, and this is becoming more and more obvious with teams selling chunks of jerseys and equipment to interested parties. The PWHL has been using this revenue to help build their brands, but their latest partnership seems a little off in the execution.

Names on the backs of jerseys have been something seen since 1977 in the NHL despite one team's attempt to circumvent the rule implemented at that time. The NHL hasn't deviated from wearing them across the shoulders very often, and that now the traditional place one would find a player's name in almost all leagues. Women's professional hockey has seen names both above and below the numbers depending on which league was being watched, but almost every amateur and university league wears them across the shoulders just as men's and international women's hockey does.

Wearing the name below the number does have some advantages, but a significant disadvantage can clearly be seen in this game action featuring the Connecticut Whale and the Montreal Force.

Of the three players seen in this photo, only Catherine Daoust's name can be read. The other two players' names are indistinguishable thanks to how their jerseys bunch up, and the Connecticut Whale player who appears to have scored has her number partially obscured by her ponytail. Long hair in women's hockey is very real, and I always preferred, as a broadcaster, that the namebars be across the shoulders to help identify players when numbers were hidden by hair.

You may be asking why I'm talking about name placement on jerseys, and it's because the PWHL and Molson announced a multi-year partnership deal today that saw Molson purchase the area across the shoulders where names are normally found, and they'll be putting their logo there. Again, ads on jerseys aren't anything new in the PWHL as companies like Canadian Tire and Air Canada are featured prominently on jerseys, and that revenue is going into the league's coffers. In other words, business as usual.

The problem, however, is that Molson decided to use their advertising buy as a way to sell female empowerment through a new campaign called "See My Name." Beginning on Friday which, coincidentally, is International Women's Day, Molson's name will appear across the shoulders while player names will be moved below the jersey number, citing that player names are "usually covered by the players' hair" which led to Molson "covering its name so hers can be seen."

Montreal and Toronto will be the first to wear the jerseys with the names below the numbers which, I should point out, is being called a "pilot project". The release was quick to note that this move of the names is "a first step of many in Molson's mission to help elevate female hockey players."

You might be saying, "Teebz, all of that sounds good, so why are you complaining? After all, the league gets some additional advertising revenue, and Molson gets some good PR."

My question is why are they doing it now? Where was Molson back in September and October as this league was getting off the ground? Why is Molson only partnering with the PWHL despite their claims of this initiative fostering "greater inclusivity and equality in sports, sending a powerful message that disproportionately represented female athletes deserve to be seen, recognized and celebrated"? And perhaps most importantly, why is this change being made mid-season rather than making it a league-wide change in the off-season?

Hockey fans aren't dumb. Molson joining the PWHL as a jersey sponsor would have been enough of a news release for fans to accept as a good business move, and this faux empowerment garbage would already be built into that sponsorship. If you want to support women's hockey, feel free to dump as much money as you can on the sport, Molson. But don't come at us with this self-serving initiative that gets your logo on TV more. As I stated above, I prefer seeing the names on shoulders so I can figure out who did what when ponytails and longer hair is obscuring the number.

And let's talk about that number situation for a second because a player's number is unique to them while playing for a team or several teams. If one mentions #99, #88, #66, #68, #4, or #9, the names that pop into one's head are likely Gretzky, Lindros, Lemieux, Jagr, Orr, and Howe. It's the same with women's hockey when listing off numbers like #29, #24, #19, #21, and #11. For those who may be wondering, that would be Poulin, Spooner, Jenner, Knight, and Roque. We identify players by their numbers - even moreso when we don't know a player - so which matters more: name or number?

Putting the name on the bottom of the jersey where it can bunch up and be obscured is likely no better than the name being obscured by hair or a ponytail. If Molson wanted to raise the profile of a number of players, they can feature them in commercials, offer free hockey cards of players, and put their numbers in advertising (yes, Spooner's #24 has all the perfect makings for a two-four commercial). There doesn't need to be some campaign launching with two-thirds of the season already played that sees the namebars get moved. That's just dumb, and it really makes no sense when you consider that the players' names are pushed to the lower third of the jersey by a brand normally associated with men.

I'll give Molson a sliver of credit, though, as they already produced one commercial featuring a number of players. Does it actually achieve what it sets out to do? The jury's out on this one, but here's that commercial so you can judge for yourself. Have a watch.


You want to show "greater inclusivity and equality in sports," Molson? Drop some sponsor money on other levels of women's hockey without seeking some sort of reward. The PWHL is a good start if you're trying to change your own image, but this boost has to happen at all levels of women's hockey where equality and inclusiveness matter so much more. You can't do that, though, if you're busy patting yourself on the back. Y'know, where players' names are normally found.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!