With US TV debut, women's pro ice hockey hopes to cash in big

March 28, 2026

The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) is making history with its first nationally televised game in the United States, broadcasting to over 126 million households as the New York Sirens face Montreal Victoire in Detroit. This milestone represents a significant breakthrough for women's ice hockey, which has historically suffered from limited visibility outside of Olympic competitions, with the last national broadcast occurring in 2002. The expansion comes amid a broader surge in women's professional sports, with recent data showing revenue growing 4.

Who is affected

Professional women's ice hockey players (including Kate Hoos, Kendall Coyne Schofield)
PWHL teams (New York Sirens, Montreal Victoire, Minnesota Frost)
Fans and season-ticket holders (Hannah Judson, Mikayla Morgan)
More than 126 million US households gaining access to the broadcast
Small business owners like Alex Douglas (artist selling player portraits)
Rights holders and sponsors
PWHL league officials (Amy Scheer, executive VP)
Researchers and think tank professionals (Thayer Lavielle, Katie Lebel)

What action is being taken

Scripps Sports is broadcasting Saturday's game between New York and Montreal on ION television
PWHL games are selling out arenas at Madison Square Garden and TD Garden
Alex Douglas is creating and selling portraits of female ice hockey players
The PWHL is expanding reach and exposure to new fans through this broadcast
Fans are attempting to purchase team jerseys as they become available

Why it matters

This broadcast represents a critical turning point for women's ice hockey visibility, addressing the historical problem of the sport "going silent" after Olympic competitions and losing fan engagement. The increased accessibility through national television creates opportunities for sponsorship awareness, revenue growth, and league viability beyond the limited capacity of physical venues. With data showing women's sports revenue growing 4.5 times faster than men's sports and projections of $2.5 billion in value by 2030, this visibility proves demand is real rather than hypothetical. The broadcast enables the league to build consistent fan loyalty necessary for long-term profitability and sustainability, while inspiring future generations who can now regularly see women's professional hockey on television.

What's next

The article mentions upcoming PWHL games at Madison Square Garden in New York and TD Garden in Boston that have sold out, with thousands expected at Saturday's game in Detroit. Fans and experts hope the one-time broadcast deal with Scripps Sports will become permanent, though no explicit commitment is stated beyond this single game.

Read full article from source: BBC