Discover to become NWHL’s largest sponsor

The NWHL, in conjunction with Discover Financial Services, announced this morning a partnership that includes the designation of Discover as “the Official Credit Card of the NWHL.”

First reported by Marisa Ingemi last week, the press release hails Discover as the league’s largest sponsor to date, though financial details of the partnership were not disclosed. However, Ingemi reported the deal is in the “same range” as the PWHPA’s $1 million Secret deal.

“The partnership between Discover and the [NWHL] is an important moment in our league’s history,” said interim commissioner Tyler Tumminia in the release. “This will be a collaboration to push for progress, and we look forward to working with our new partner as the league continues to grow.”

Discover has on-ice advertisements in the lavender neutral zone at the 1980 Rink at Herb Brooks Arena, where the Lake Placid tournament is currently underway.

The sponsorship was in part facilitated by Twitch, the league’s live-streaming partner, whose role in securing sponsors for the NWHL cannot be understated.

“We appreciate working with our streaming partners, such as the NWHL, that enable brands like Discover to ... pursue projects that align with their corporate values,” Lou Garate, global head of sponsorship sales at Twitch, said in the release. “Discover supports hockey at all levels, and this partnership helps promote women’s professional hockey in the drive for wage parity in sports.”

The NWHL’s regular season will continue to be broadcast on Twitch, with a playoff-seeding round starting next week and the Isobel Cup semifinals and final aired exclusively on NBCSN in the United States. The deal with NBC marks the first time that women’s professional hockey will be aired on a major cable network in the U.S.

For the full schedule of the rest of the condensed NWHL season, see here.