Professional Women’s Hockey League to Make National TV Debut in the US
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is set to make its national television debut in the United States, with a neutral-site game between the New York Sirens and Montreal Victoire to be broadcast on ION, a network accessible to 126 million American households. The game, scheduled to take place on March 28 in Detroit, will be the first PWHL game to be broadcast nationally in the US, marking a significant milestone for the league.
The PWHL has partnered with Scripps Sports, a leading broadcaster of women’s sports, to bring the game to a national audience. Scripps Sports has a proven track record of broadcasting women’s sports, including WNBA and NWSL games, and has previously aired PWHL games in its NHL TV markets. The partnership is a one-time deal, but it has the potential to turn into a long-term agreement, which could significantly boost the league’s visibility and reach.
A Historic Moment for the PWHL
“The first-ever national broadcast is a truly historic moment for our league,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL executive VP of business operations. “We are continuing to fuel this rocket ship that is the PWHL, as we expand the reach and exposure of our league to new fans.” The broadcast deal comes as women’s hockey enjoys a surge in momentum, following the Hilary Knight-led US team’s gold-medal victory at the Milan Cortina Games last month.
The agreement also involves Detroit-based Ally Financial, which is the primary sponsor of the “Takeover Tour” game and has played a significant role in backing women’s sports, including the NWSL. Ally has made a commitment to equally invest in men’s and women’s sports, and its backing has led to significant milestones, including the 2022 NWSL championship game being the first to be broadcast in prime time.
A Growing Interest in Women’s Hockey
The PWHL has been in talks with Scripps Sports for several years, but the agreement to broadcast the game in Detroit came during discussions at Milan, according to Scheer. “The time has to be right, right?” Scheer said, of conversations she had with Scripps Sports president Brian Lawlor in Italy. “It just motivates you to want to do more. I think this is the perfect time for us to have this game on ION, and we’ll see what comes of it. But we’re really proud to partner with both of them to bring this moment to life.”
Lawlor has been impressed by the recent spike in attention in women’s hockey, comparing it to the surge the WNBA enjoyed with the arrival of Caitlyn Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink in 2024. “We have been able to identify the moments where it’s time to build and invest. And then we want to satisfy. There’s such an interest in women’s hockey right now,” Lawlor said. “We want to partner with the league and build on it. And this is the first step to that.”
The PWHL has national broadcast partners in Canada, but has been limited to mostly local affiliates airing games in its four US markets. All games are also available in the US on the league’s YouTube channel. With the eight-team PWHL planning to expand by as many as four teams next season, Scheer envisioned the possibility of Scripps becoming the league’s US national broadcaster.
A Bright Future for the PWHL
The PWHL is already enjoying a post-Olympic surge, with its first three games following the Olympic break selling out, including a turnout of 17,335 in Seattle to set a US pro women’s hockey attendance record. On Sunday, the Sirens set a home attendance record of 8,264 fans at the Prudential Center, more than double the team’s average this season. The league has also sold out upcoming games at Madison Square Garden and Boston’s TD Garden.
Ally’s commitment to women’s sports has been a significant factor in the growth of the NWSL and other women’s leagues. “To us, it’s just another milestone in what’s been four years of, I think, being an architect of a pretty amazing movement that’s happening in women’s sports,” said Andrea Brimmer, Ally’s chief marketing officer. “I like to think we didn’t catch the wave, we helped create the wave, candidly in terms of what’s happening in women’s sports. And I think we’re trying to do the same thing here with hockey.”
