Most people know about the Stanley Cup, Named after Lord Fredrick Arthur Stanley, and presented to the best National Hockey League team of the season. The Stanley Cup is rich with history, many of the greatest players have placed their hands on the silver chalice. The Lady Isobel Gathorne-Hardy Cup is awarded to the best team in the National Women’s Hockey League and has been since 2016 when the Boston Pride took it home. Most are not aware that Lady Isobel was Lord Stanley’s daughter. She was passionate about the game and loved spending time to grow. It is fitting that the Isobel Cup be named after another Stanley and be rich with its own history.
This year, the battle for the Isobel Cup will take place in a bubble, similar to the end of Lord Stanley’s race at the end of the 2020 season. The Buffalo Beauts, Minnesota Whitecaps, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters, Boston Pride and the newest expansion Toronto Six will head to Lake Placid New York to compete for the cup in what is a beginning and end to the season.
It is now time to make history again, another chance to grow the game and show that women and girls do belong in sports. We often hear that the reason the same opportunities don’t exist is because there is no mass market for it. Not enough advertising and corporate sponsors. People will not turn on a women’s hockey game to watch like they will a men's game. They won’t drive an hour to a packed stadium and pay for overpriced beer to watch a female professional game. The list goes on and on. If it is one thing the past year has shown is that when the spotlight is on, the ladies can, AND DO shine.
Who do you want to take home Isobel in 2021?
Leave a comment and Share to your Social to get the word out!
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There have been pockets of notable achievements, Kendall Coyne, The Dream Gap Tour, US vs Canada Rivalry Series and of course the last Olympic Games that saw the most viewers tune in since it was officially added back in 1998. All this is well, it is good and we love seeing the female athletes in the news and forefront of some of the biggest stages like the NHL ALL Star Game.
One thing it does lack is consistency, and that is where the corporate sponsors come in. Paying for advertising during the games, it's how the networks make money and how to grow a fan base, not everyone can drive to a local rink
in the North East US and catch a game. Most don’t even know you can watch the games on Twitch or really any of the content. Now I suggest everyone head on over to Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/nwhl) so they can keep up on the action.
There is a lot of great content and the games of course, But its not exactly mainstream and unless you go to Twitch and are subscribed to NWHL, you probably don’t tune in like you can with Fox Sports or NHL Network on the major cable providers. One great thing about the Isobel Cup Semis and
Finals this year is that it WILL be broadcast on NBC Sports. Which is HUGE! But it is the time to show that people WILL tune in to watch and there IS a market. This will only work if the movement and we all work together to help spread the message, get excited and create the BUZZ. We need to work together as a community and talk about it. Get excited, pick up some of the Merch, pick a team and root them on. Whether you are a fan of the Boston Pride and want to see them take the cup home or if you are rooting for the newest expansion Toronto Six to take it home in their Inaugural season.
The first time Young Girls can tune in on NATIONAL TV to watch professional women's hockey and the battle for the top prize. So spread the word, pick a team, cheer them on. Grab a Jersey, a Hat or shirt and show support to these ladies as the Battle for Isobel Starts. Click the picture to visit their online shops.
We wish we could say we are selling the gear or have some options, but in this case here at Gurl Power Athletics, we want to get as much notice out there to help grow the game and the awareness of females in sports. (maybe one day we can get some licensing)