The PWHL Comes to National Television in the U.S.
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is set to make its debut on U.S. national television. The game in Detroit on March 28 between the New York Sirens and the Montreal Victory will be the first to be broadcast to a national audience in the United States. The PWHL has selected Scripps Sports to broadcast the game on ION, a channel accessible to 126 million U.S. households. This unique agreement could turn into a long-term partnership. Scripps already has experience in broadcasting women’s sports, being a partner of the WNBA and the NWSL. Previously, it has also aired PWHL games in its NHL markets. The agreement also involves Ally Financial, based in Detroit, the main sponsor of the “Takeover Tour” game, which has supported the NWSL and other women’s sports.This broadcast agreement comes at a time of great momentum for women’s hockey, following the victory of the American team led by Hilary Knight at the Milan Cortina Games last month. Although the PWHL has been in conversations with Scripps for several years, the agreement to broadcast the game in Detroit was finalized during discussions in Milan, according to Scheer.The first nationally televised event is a historic moment for our league. We continue to push this league, the PWHL, as we expand the reach and exposure of our league to new fans.
Amy Scheer, VP of Business Operations of the PWHL
Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports, has closely followed the PWHL during its three seasons and is impressed by the recent increase in interest in women’s hockey. He compares it to the surge that the WNBA enjoyed with the arrival of Caitlyn Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink in 2024.The timing has to be right, doesn’t it? It motivates us 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 happens. But we are very proud to partner with both to make this moment a reality.
Amy Scheer, PWHL VP of Business Operations
The PWHL already has national broadcast partners in Canada, but has been limited primarily to local affiliates broadcasting games in its four U.S. markets. All games are also available in the United States via the league’s YouTube channel. With the eight-team PWHL planning to expand by up to four teams next season, Scheer envisions the possibility of Scripps becoming the league’s national broadcaster in the United States.We have been able to identify the moments when it’s time to build and invest. And then we want to satisfy. There is so much interest in women’s hockey right now. We want to partner with the league and build on that. And this is the first step towards that.
Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports
Scripps is available for free via over-the-air television, as well as on pay and connected TV platforms, and streaming platforms with advertising. In addition to broadcasting WNBA and NWSL games, it also has studio programs dedicated to both leagues. The PWHL is already enjoying a post-Olympic Games boom. Its first three games after the Olympic break sold out, including an attendance of 17,335 in Seattle, which set a professional women’s hockey attendance record in the United States. 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 already sold out tickets for the upcoming games at Madison Square Garden and TD Garden in Boston. Ally has made a commitment to invest equally in men’s and women’s sports. Its support of the NWSL led to the league’s championship game in 2022 being the first to be broadcast in prime time. In 2024, Ally’s investment led the U.S. Women’s Open to feature a $12 million prize, the largest in the history of women’s golf.I hope so. And I hope (Lawlor) wants to be a part of that long-term. But we’ll have that conversation when the time is right.
Amy Scheer, PWHL VP of Business Operations
For us, it’s just another milestone in what has been four years of, I think, being architects of a pretty amazing movement that’s happening in women’s sports.
Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing officer of Ally
I like to think that we don’t ride the wave, but rather help create the wave, frankly, in terms of what’s happening in women’s sports. And I think we’re trying to do the same thing here with hockey.
Andrea Brimmer, Ally’s chief marketing officer
