Two major players from across the country are joining the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association’s (MWBA) roster as League Founding Partners.

ROYALE®, A PURR-oudly Atlantic Canadian™ household tissue company, loved by Canadians since 1963, and Medavie, a national health solutions partner, announced three-year partnerships with the league.

The partnerships were announced in collaboration with Sports & Entertainment Atlantic (S|E|A) of Halifax, the region’s largest sports management and sponsorship consulting enterprise.

The MWBA is designed to keep women playing, coaching, managing and officiating basketball in a competitive environment. ‘As the league and its six member clubs prepare for the tip-off of its history making inaugural season, we are beyond proud and privileged to be entering into these momentous partnerships,’ said MWBA commissioner, Tasia McKenna. ‘We are grateful to Royale and Medavie’s leadership teams for their belief in the MWBA’s mission. The commitment and celebration of women in sport, especially women in basketball, has been overwhelming and exciting.’

ROYALE® offers a full line of paper products for the entire home, including bathroom tissue, facial tissue, paper towels, and napkins.

“Royale is proud to give back to the community,” said Robert K. Irving, President of Irving Tissue, manufacturers of Royale products. “We are excited to support the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association as they launch this league. We wish them the best as they build an association that allows women to continue to compete in basketball at a high level.”

Medavie is a national health solutions partner with a team of more than 7,200 professionals integrating benefits management, health management and health care delivery.

As a not-for-profit organization, Medavie oversees Medavie Blue Cross, a premier all-in-one benefits carrier and public health program administrator, and Medavie Health Services, a national primary health care solutions organization and the largest contracted provider of emergency management services in Canada.

"At Medavie, our mission is to improve the wellbeing of Canadians, and we believe being community minded is more important than ever. We’re pleased to support the Maritime Women's Basketball Association and help enable these athletes to pursue their dreams and lead fulfilling, active lives while enhancing our communities,” said Bernard Lord, CEO of Medavie.

The MWBA has member clubs in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The teams are Port City Fog of Saint John, Fredericton Freeze and Moncton Mystics, Halifax Thunder, Halifax Hornets and Windsor Edge. The season will run from early May through late June with a championship weekend involving all six teams. The MWBA is also a champion of equity and inclusion, supporting the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and standing up against anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, and violence against women.

The MWBA is proud to align with these two exceptional Canadian partners and look forward to the impact these partnerships will have on and off the court! For further information on ROYALE® visit royale.ca and for Medavie visit medavie.ca. To learn more about the MWBA visit themwba.ca.