There’s a saying out there that “You can always tell who the strong women are because they’re the ones building each other up instead of tearing each other down” and this is exactly what the new partnership between FanSaves and the Toronto 6ix is all about.
It’s really no surprise that these two powerhouses have come together for the upcoming hockey season, with the Canadian sports tech startup and Canada’s only National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) team already becoming great teammates.
Earlier this year, Toronto 6ix president Digit Murphy was connected to FanSaves Co-Founder & CEO, Shannon Ferguson, through a mutual colleague and it’s this network of women building up women that helped the partnership come into fruition.
“Our core values at the T6 are to create inclusion by executing education and empowerment within the sport. Building each other up through this amazing network of strong women and working together to support each other's goals has been essential” said Digit.
And the stars have been aligning well for this growing partnership which merges sports and technology with empowered women working together to change the narrative.
Shannon grew up playing competitive hockey with hopes to one day play in the Olympics. After being sidelined by an injury, she ended up getting degrees in Communication Studies and Broadcast Journalism and began a career in Marketing which ultimately led her to co-founding the digital couponing platform in 2017.
“Partnering with Canada’s only NWHL team is a dream come true. Hockey has always been such a huge part of my life and even though I’m not playing for the 6ix, it’s amazing to now be an extension of their team” expressed Shannon.
The Toronto 6ix launched their inaugural season last year but the pandemic forced them to play in the NWHL bubble in Lake Placid, instead of Toronto. After a knockout year, the team made it to the finals which took place in Brighton, Massachusetts but lost in the first round to the eventual champions, the Boston Pride.
Krysti Clarke was recently announced as the team’s new General Manager and she’s looking forward to the upcoming season.
“We’re ready to show our hometown what we’re made of and we can’t wait to give the fans an exciting experience at every game. Women’s professional hockey is gaining momentum and we’re proud to not only be Toronto’s team but Canada’s team as well” said Krysti.
This November, the 6ix return to Toronto and will be playing out of the Canlan Ice Sports- York arena and are looking forward to having real home ice advantage. The women-led team is also looking forward to the increased sponsorship opportunities that FanSaves has already begun helping with.
Fans of the Toronto 6ix can follow their FanSaves page and receive free discounts from the team’s sponsors and partners, with season ticket holders getting even better exclusive deals. Businesses interested in sponsoring or joining the team’s Business Alliance are able to offer a deal to fans, along with a plethora of other advertising opportunities.
“It really made sense to partner with FanSaves” said Krysti “not only are they helping us attract more sponsors but the fact that they are women-led was the icing on the cake”.
It’s no secret that women’s sports are not only underfunded but under-sponsored and FanSaves is working hard to help change that through their core values of inclusion, empowerment and education.
Shannon explained “This is professional women’s hockey and they should be receiving sponsorship left, right and centre so we jumped on this opportunity to partner, knowing we can help incentivize businesses with our platform”.
Women building each other up. It’s a beautiful sight when it happens, isn’t it? These two Canadian organizations are led by multiple strong women who are committed to helping each other flourish with an overall goal to shine a brighter light on the importance of inclusivity.
Together, FanSaves and the Toronto 6ix will not only build each other up but they will build up a nation of devoted fans and young girls who can see that together, anything is possible.
Become a fan of the Toronto 6ix on FanSaves and give their page a follow below.