For niche sports seeking a larger stage, Ringette Canada offers a sharp case study in purposeful growth.
By Connie Jeske Crane
WITH A STRING of recent wins—enviable sponsorships, media deals, awards—Ringette Canada keeps on capturing more hearts and eyeballs.
It begs a question: How has a female-dominated sport with nerdy rules about shot clocks, contact (not allowed) and passing (mandatory), garnered so much growth and high-profile support? Jenni Lloyd, Ringette Canada’s director of communications, engagement and marketing, shares five winning strategies:
1. COMMIT LONG-TERM
“Growth for us isn’t about one initiative or one sponsor,” says Lloyd, who ties long-term growth instead to an over-arching plan. The foundation for many recent Ringette Canada initiatives can be linked back to its 2024-2027 Strategic Plan and core pillars like collaboration, inclusivity and excellence.
Lloyd stresses, “Sustained growth requires investment, collaboration and a long-term commitment to building audiences. Every opportunity to tell athlete stories, improve accessibility and create meaningful experiences strengthens the sport for future generations.”
2. DELIVER ELEVATED EXPERIENCES
According to Lloyd, “Visibility comes first. The more people that see ringette, understand the sport and engage with our athletes, the easier it becomes to attract partners and investment.”
The wrinkle is, today’s fans expect quality experiences, Lloyd says, noting investments are required. For Ringette Canada, that’s included:
- Professional live streaming and lively digital content: “We are making significant investments in how we present ringette.”
- Athlete storytelling: “People connect with people before they connect with a sport. That’s why we’re putting more emphasis on showcasing the personalities, journeys and achievements of our athletes.”
- Live event buzz: Because “people have lots of entertainment options these days,” Lloyd says live events are peppered with player introductions and in-game features.
- Face time: Post-game, fans and budding athletes get opportunities to meet athletes at autograph sessions, skills clinics and Skate with the Stars events.
- Merch: Ringette Canada’s online shop offers stylish branded national and regional clothing, Pride wear and accessories.
3. BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT COMMUNITY, OUTREACH AND INCLUSION
Alongside recent growth, Lloyd says, “We’ve also worked to build stronger relationships with our provincial members, athletes, volunteers and community partners, recognizing that sustainable growth comes from everyone pulling in the same direction.”
Ringette Canada has also crafted outreach and accessibility initiatives—including an Indigenous ringette pilot project in BC and a cross-Canada free tryout program called Come Try Ringette (with an astonishing 50% to 70% conversion rate)— that’s also translated into Tagalog, Hindi, Punjabi and Mandarin.
4. MINE YOUR DATA
Data is increasingly important, says Lloyd, “because it helps us understand what’s working and where we should focus our efforts.” Ringette Canada looks at “social media engagement, livestream viewership, website traffic, ticket sales, participation trends and audience demographics,” across existing platforms (i.e., social media channels, websites, ticketing systems, streaming platforms).
5. KEEP A FLEXIBLE MINDSET
Finally, Lloyd says, “growth requires organizations to be willing to innovate,” even if shaking things up can be hard. Whether it’s exploring a new broadcast platform or sponsorship model, “If we want our sport to grow, we have to be willing to challenge ourselves, embrace new ideas and adapt to an evolving sports landscape.”
RINGETTE RISING
- Ringette Canada boosted visibility via broadcast/streaming partnerships with YouTube, CBC Sports and TELUS, plus Whoopi Goldberg’s All Women’s Sport Network (AWSN) which broadcasts to 65 countries.
- RBC Wealth Management was the Platinum Sponsor for the 2026 Canadian Ringette Championships.
- Across Canada, ringette has 33,000+ registered participants on nearly 2,300 teams and has seen a steady rise in registered athletes post-COVID, including a 3% increase in 2025.
- The 2025 Canadian Ringette Championships in Ottawa received the Sport Tourism Canada PRESTIGE Award for Canadian Sport Event of the Year – Group B.
Photos: Derek Mellon; Andre Vandall/Ringette Canada
Published October 2026
