PARITY ANNOUNCES PARITY LOCKER, AN IMMERSIVE E-COMMERCE PLATFORM TO HELP CLOSE THE GENDER INCOME GAP IN PRO SPORTS AND CREATE UNPRECEDENTED FAN-ATHLETE CONNECTIONS

New Marketplace Gives Fans the Opportunity to Bid on Exclusive Collectibles from Notable Professional Women Athletes and Invest in Rising Stock of Women's Sports 

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Parity, the sponsorship platform dedicated to closing the gender income and opportunity gap in professional sports, today announced the launch of Parity Locker, an innovative e-commerce platform that offers a curated selection of one-of-a-kind memorabilia from prominent professional women athletes across sport. Parity Locker celebrates the achievements of notable women athletes and bridges the gap between them and their fans by providing a unique opportunity to bid on game-worn gear, signed items, personal keepsakes, experiences, and more.

Launching today, Parity Locker offers a highly customizable experience for both women professional athletes and brands, with the ability to personalize landing pages and customize items that hold significant historical and sentimental value. Athletes/merch currently on the platform span 10 sports including basketball, motorsport and lacrosse with plans to expand further, and committed athletes include 2x Olympic Gold Medalist Natasha Hastings (Track & Field), racecar driver and rising star Toni Breidinger (Motorsport), Olympic steeplechaser and middle-distance runner Colleen Quigley (Track & Field), and Karlie Samuelson and Katie Lou Samuelson of the WNBA's LA Sparks (Basketball), among others. Each item offered on Parity Locker is guaranteed to be authentic and verified by the athlete, ensuring both product uniqueness and connection with the fan.

Fans can bid on these pieces of history in a dynamic auction format, knowing that their contributions put money directly in the pockets of their favorite pro women athletes and help to close the gender income gap in sports. Purchasers will also have the opportunity to receive personalized messages on the items they bid on from their favorite athletes, making the Parity Locker merchandise a unique 1:1 opportunity. By owning a piece of an athlete's journey, fans will have the opportunity to feel closer to the action and share in their triumphs.

The platform will serve as a hub for fans from all over the world to engage with their favorite women athletes and celebrate their achievements, fostering a vibrant community that advocates for equality and inclusivity in sports. Sales will directly support women athletes and help foster gender parity within the industry, further empowering them to excel and continue breaking barriers in their respective sports. Athletes from the Parity community were integral to the development of Parity Locker, with Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse player and Parity employee Lindsey McKone serving as project co-lead while Olympic hopeful triple jumper and digital marketing consultant Kayla Bushey designed the product logo and visuals.

"Professional women athletes continually achieve remarkable feats on and off the field, yet struggle to receive the recognition and financial compensation they truly deserve," says Parity CEO Leela Srinivasan. "At Parity, we are focused on creating and leveraging opportunities that help women athletes capitalize on their unique marketability. Parity Locker aims not only to bridge the gender income gap but also to foster a deeper connection between fans and their sports heroines. It's not just about collecting cherished memorabilia; it's about celebrating moments of empowerment and inspiration. By supporting women athletes, we continue striding toward a more equitable future for women in sports."

"Parity is always looking to create opportunities for pro women athletes, and Parity Locker is their latest innovation they're bringing to the table," says professional racecar driver Toni Breidinger. "The gloves and visor I'm giving to the auction were essential to my races. I'm really looking forward to being able to connect with my fans while also giving them the chance to directly invest in me and my career. Parity has been a huge help in taking the workload off of my plate which means I have more time to focus on racing. I'm excited to be included in the launch! I believe it's something other pro athletes, no matter what sport they're in, should be a part of."

To bid on memorabilia from your favorite pro women athletes today, visit locker.paritynow.co

About Parity:

Minority-founded in 2020, Parity's mission is to close the gender income and opportunity gap in professional sports. By developing high-impact collaborations between brands, professional women athletes and their fans, Parity has proudly put millions of dollars in the pockets of women athletes, attracting dozens of brands to the movement in the process. The platform offers connections to more than 850 women athletes from 70+ sports, including well over 200 Olympians and Paralympians. For more information on how to tap into the rapidly rising influence and popularity of women athletes, visit https://paritynow.co or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Threads. 

SOURCE Parity