Expansion is on the table for the six-team Professional Women’s Hockey League, and executives aren’t placing limitations on which North American markets they’ll consider in a bid to add as many as two franchises for the 2025-26 season.
The only certainty is a vision of the timing being right to build on the support the PWHL generated in its inaugural year, and the growth the league projects entering its second season, which opens on Nov. 30.
“I think we want to be an open book, and I think we want to be open to things that we haven’t thought about or things that we haven’t considered,” Scheer said. “Until we have the data and the facts and the conversations, we might be surprised. So let’s go for it.” The only factors to help guide the search, Scheer said, will be market size, access to facilities, economic partnership opportunities and fan base potential.
In the U.S., Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia would be regarded as candidates after both were previously considered, with Chicago and Denver also options. The PWHL averaged nearly 5,500 fans over 72 regular-season games and set a women’s pro hockey record for attendance, with 21,105 turning out for a game between Toronto and Montreal held at the NHL's Canadiens' home arena. The league reached sponsorship deals with companies including Scotiabank, Air Canada, Discover and Hyundai, while having each game broadcast in local markets along with a streaming rights deal with YouTube, which drew 113,000 subscribers.
Expansion was always under consideration, though Scheer stressed the league is taking a patient approach.
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