Even more PWHL expansion is on the horizon

Photo courtesy of Jenn G/Wikimedia Commons

As fan momentum surges across North America, the PWHL’s Takeover Tour continues to shape the league’s future—fueling expansion buzz after Seattle and Vancouver’s successful debuts and for the next wave of teams.

Every couple of weeks, a Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) article written by yours truly is printed, and it is for good reason. This year is going to be a big one for the PWHL, with plans already underway for another league expansion.

This season, the league added two teams, marking its first major step into the Pacific-Northwest markets with the Seattle Torrent and the Vancouver Goldeneyes. Both clubs have seen player and fan excitement, engagement, and momentum building quickly, receiving more than 5,000 season ticket deposits as of May–meaning that these two teams will be ranked among the league leaders in fan attendance and engagement.

The expansion from a six-team league to eight has already brought up questions about just how big the PWHL could get. Earlier this November, the PWHL confirmed that, within the next year, they are planning to add at least two to four more teams. 

PWHL executive vice president of business operations told Front Office Sports, "If we have four really strong markets, then that’s the direction we’ll move in.” Now the question is, where will those four new teams be?

The great thing about the PWHL is a little thing called the PWHL Takeover Tour—though “little” is hardly the right word for it. It has become one of the league’s most powerful tools in building its fanbase and introducing professional women’s hockey to new markets. The tour brings players, coaches, and fans together in cities without teams, giving communities a chance to experience the action firsthand.

Seattle and Vancouver have the Takeover Tour to thank for their new teams. Both cities hosted stops last year, drawing thousands of fans and showing the league just how much of an appetite the Pacific-Northwest has for professional women’s hockey. Their success set the standard of what the PWHL is looking for when evaluating potential markets.

Looking at next year, it is important to keep in mind that a poor turnout at one of the stops will undoubtedly have significant ramifications in relation to the expansion of the league. Early frontrunners in Canada include Halifax, Quebec City, Hamilton, Calgary, and Winnipeg. Halifax sold out their first stop on the tour, selling out of tickets in less than an hour, and roughly only 20 tickets remain for their second stop on the tour as well. All of the potential Canadian markets have sold large quantities of tickets and have greatly outperformed the American markets, at least in ticket sales.

Moving on down to the United States, ticket sales have not been as great compared to Canada, but that does not mean the American markets are a total loss. Washington and Denver hold the top spot in ticket sales so far, showing clear potential for future growth. Denver in particular has become a standout. After drawing more than 14,000 fans during last year’s Takeover Tour, the PWHL has added two stops there this season.

Chicago also sold well for the first stop later this month, but has yet to open the upper bowl tickets for sale. Another hopeful city is Detroit, after setting back-to-back attendance records with their first two games on the tour; however, the ticket sales have yet to pick up. Despite the differences in the number of tickets sold, every stop on this year’s Takeover Tour should be considered in the running for expansion locations.

In the end, one thing is clear—the PWHL is entering a crucial evaluation period. Ownership groups, arena readiness, regional balance, and long-term financial models will all play key roles in determining which cities make the final cut. Whether two teams or four teams are ultimately added, this coming year will define the PWHL’s trajectory and set the foundation for the league’s hopeful future.