The Professional Women's Hockey Players Association announced Thursday that it's received a $1 million commitment from Secret deodorant to fund the Dream Gap Tour in 2021.

"Thanks to brands like Secret, players are given access to the necessary training facilities and resources and opportunities to compete, that professional sport demands," said PWHPA operations consultant Jayna Hefford.

The PWHPA was established in May 2019 after the shutdown of the Canadian Women's Hockey League. The association created the Dream Gap Tour in 2020, which Secret supported, to showcase women's hockey across North America. The tour features over 100 of the sport’s top talents.

The COVID-19 pandemic is heavily impacting professional sports leagues worldwide, and it has kept women's hockey on the sidelines for several months.

"COVID-19 affected our positive momentum and threatened our upcoming season," Hefford said. "We’re so thankful for Secret’s ongoing support of the PWHPA.

"The PWHPA is made up of the best hockey players in the world, the fans deserve a chance to watch these women play and our players deserve to be treated equitably. This is a pivotal moment to create real change in women’s professional sports."

The PWHPA also announced its plan for the second Dream Gap Tour. Teams will be based in five markets (Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Minnesota, and New Hampshire), and will compete in six showcase events across the continent. For the first time ever, cash prizes and the Secret Cup will be up for grabs.

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