IDA Sports Become Official Footwear Partner Of Women’s Elite Rugby

UNITED STATES — Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) is thrilled to announce a one year partnership with IDA Sports and World Rugby Shop prior to WER’s inaugural 2025 season. As the Official Footwear Partner of WER, IDA will offer each of the 180 athletes a pair of their women's specific cleats specifically designed for their needs. In addition, WER is also partnering with World Rugby Shop, who will sell IDA’s women’s specific cleats on their website and provide WER athletes with their rugby needs throughout the season. 

“We are ecstatic to partner with IDA, as they are a company providing footwear for women athletes, specifically designed for them, something that has been greatly missing in the sport market,” said WER President Jessica Hammond-Graf. “We are thrilled to have such a prominent women's sports company and advocate come on board with our league and help push our athletes to new heights.”

IDA also shared in their excitement about the partnership with WER: “On behalf of everyone at IDA, we are thrilled to partner with Women's Elite Rugby for their inaugural season, and we're excited to be able to show up and support women's rugby players in the U.S. during this landmark moment. Many rugby players have already found comfort in our cleats and as the game of rugby continues to grow, we're energized by the opportunity to elevate the game and its athletes even further through this collaboration," said IDA Co-Founder and CEO, Laura Youngson.

World Rugby Shop also shared in the enthusiasm of working with IDA and WER: “The women’s game is such a vital part of the rugby landscape in the US and around the world, but hasn’t always gotten the attention it deserves both with equipment and visibility.  Our mission at World Rugby Shop is a simple one: make it easy for people to get the gear they need to be a part of the sport.  Partnering with the WER and IDA perfectly aligns with our mission. 

We are committed to offering more for women in our sport.  Partnering with WER gives our female athletes more opportunities to play and showcase their skills.  And IDA gives us the chance to expand our women’s rugby range and make it easier for players to get the gear they need to succeed.  We are proud to be partner with both organizations in this important step forward for women’s rugby in the US”, said Jazz Blalock, Marketing and Partnership Manager at World Rugby Shop.

Beyond the players in the league reaping the benefits of this partnership, fans will have the chance to win IDA and World Rugby Shop gear in their local team markets via social media giveaways throughout the season. 

To learn more about the league and other exciting league news, please follow WER on their social media platforms @rugbyevolved or check out the league’s website at https://www.womenseliterugby.us/. For any media requests please reach out to wer@lindarothpr.com. 

About IDA

IDA exists to prioritize high performance and comfortable footwear for athletes who have traditionally been an afterthought. From the grassroots to the pros, we believe women and girls should have greater choice and access to the best equipment when they step onto the field. 

"UNISEX" IS NOT ENOUGH: Why women's specific? Because there are anatomical differences between male and female feet, and "unisex" is not enough when it comes to footwear. Women deserve cleats that support their unique biomechanics on the field. The industry has ignored women for decades, so we took a stand. We didn’t do it alone though. From podiatrists and physios to players in the grassroots and the pros, we built IDA with you and with you in mind. Built for women. Backed by science. 

About World Rugby Shop

Our mission at World Rugby Shop is a simple one:  ‘Make it easy for people to get the gear they need to be a part of rugby’.  When we got started 25 years ago getting rugby gear was far from a simple task and so we set out to make it as easy and cost effective as we possibly could.  We figured if we could do that it would help grow the sport we love in a very tangible way by removing yet another barrier- and give us an excuse to bring in the gear we wanted!

Our drive to grow the game is just as strong today as our drive to provide our customers with the best gear and service in the industry. We are honored to have been able to serve the Rugby Community for all these years. Come see what we are doing at www.WorldRugbyShop.com . 

About WER

After the 2022 “Ignite the Change” campaign seeking to professionalize women’s rugby in the United States from the former Women’s Premier League Rugby player-run and operated amateur league, Women’s Elite Rugby was founded and formed. The league announced their official launch in 2024 with their inaugural season starting in March 2025 centering six teams in Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York, Bay Area, and Twin Cities featuring 180 athletes.