Washington Capitals Title IX Jersey Campaign X Sass Studios
The 6th Annual Awards
- Most Creative Partnership with an Athlete or Influencer
ABOUT THIS ENTRY
The Washington Capitals recognized a unique opportunity to highlight the 50th anniversary of Title IX through a speciality warmup jersey and campaign around their Women in Hockey night. The jersey, designed by former Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) goaltender and current PWHPA board member Kimberly Sass of SASS STUDIO, was worn during warmups when the Capitals hosted the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, March 23, during Women in Hockey Night.
How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”?
The Capitals are at the forefront of growing the game, whether it is through our Women in Hockey initiatives & Title IX jersey, commitment to hosting events like the PWHPA Secret Dream Gap Tour and Women in Sports Networking Event, or through the year round effort of the ALL CAPS ALL HER program. We are committed to providing access to hockey and elevating the game for women and girls in the Washington D.C. area, while recognizing and supporting female players, coaches, parents, advocates, and leaders in the community.
The four pillars, youth and adult hockey programming, business development and networking, coach and referee education, and families of hockey encompass all engagement touchpoints and showcase why women are so important to the sport. We will build off this momentum and continue to inspire and move the needle on making sure the next generation of girls and women have opportunities to play, coach, referee, watch, or work in hockey.
Objective
The Washington Capitals recognized a unique opportunity to highlight the 50th anniversary of Title IX through a speciality warmup jersey and campaign around their Women in Hockey night. The jersey, designed by former Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) goaltender and current PWHPA board member Kimberly Sass of SASS STUDIO, was worn during warmups when the Capitals hosted the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, March 23, during Women in Hockey Night.
SASS Studio uniquely shaped all the symbolism in the jersey around Washington, DC, home of the Capitals and the spirit of Title IX. Themes reflected in the jersey include history, equity, place and location, architecture, foundation, change and perspective. The “W” crest and number on the back feature a collaged architectural path of Title IX through the buildings it has passed through or lives within. Reflective of Title’s IX history in Washington, D.C., the Title IX roman numerals are woven into the “W” crest, and the overall goal with the design was not only to celebrate progress toward equity and advocate for the protection of the legislation, but also to encourage review of Title IX from new perspectives to provide equity for all.
Strategy & Execution
Women make up half the world’s population and their engagement in sports continues to grow. We are seeing the rapid success of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) in the inaugural year, with attendance records being shattered. These milestones would not be possible without the passing of Title IX. It is evident that there is a demand for women’s hockey in North America, and this campaign was designed with these sports fans in mind.
The jersey was unveiled during a special ceremony at the National Archives on March 3. The ceremony where SASS Studio shared more about her inspiration of the jersey followed a tour attended by players from PWHPA teams who were in town for the Professional Women’s Hockey Player Association (PWHPA) Showcase being hosted in Washington, D.C., March 4-5. During the tour, the group visited the “All American: The Power of Sports’’ exhibit that featured a special celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, including the original Title IX document.
With Title IX’s 50th anniversary, the Capitals and SASS Studio together saw an opportunity to partner and celebrate the progress towards gender equity, women in hockey and the opportunities Title IX has provided women in sports.
Organizations
- Washington Capitals
- SASS STUDIO
Links
Featured
- Kimberly Sass
Credits
Kimberly Sass
Artist, Construction Project Manager, Former Pro Hockey Goaltender
SASS STUDIO
Caroline Potolicchio
Director, Fan Development
Washington Capitals
Jessie Thompson
Senior Manager, Youth Hockey Development
Washington Capitals
Amanda Tischler
SVP, Marketing
Washington Capitals
Megan Eichenberg
Director, Public Relations
Washington Capitals
Frank O'Brien
Senior Director, Marketing
Washington Capitals
Steph Delancey
Producer
Washington Capitals
Aimee Brillhart
VP, Productions
Washington Capitals
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