The PWHL’s growth is a major sign. It shows that both women’s hockey and women’s sports as a whole are becoming more popular. This season has arguably been the most important in making the league more noticeable. With eight teams now, including two expansion teams, the PWHL knew it needed to elevate itself to attract more attention.
In year three, the league not only elevated but became one of the biggest talking points in sports. While the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics and the hit show “Heated Rivalry” played a part in the increase, that’s not everything. The league itself has found numerous tactics to attract new fans to the sport.
As reported by both the PWHL and the Athletic, there was a major boost in popularity in all facets.
Brand Partnerships
The first was with brand partnerships, which increased by 35% season over season. They now have 81 corporate partners with whom they work to grow the game in several ways. This includes board messages, giveaways, products, and video ads. This is all intended to drive people to the companies’ and league’s brands on all platforms.
Major Boost in Merchandise Sales
With the PWHL’s growth interest, the fans’ demand for all types of merchandise, and the sale of it has been impressive. When it comes to in-arena purchases, the league saw a double in purchases in 25-26 from the previous year. As for online purchases, there was a 50% increase from 24-25. On top of that, after the Olympics, there was an astounding boost in merchandise at 190%.
Watchability and Attendance
This category best shows how much the PWHL is growing. The PWHL uses YouTube mainly to allow viewers to watch every game from anywhere. Because of this accessibility, the numbers did wonders. In the 25-26 regular season, viewership escalated 77% season over season, covering 154 different countries.
Attendance is even more impressive. The league saw 1,116,497 fans over 120 regular-season games. This is the first time that the PWHL saw over one million fans in one campaign. That’s a 71% increase since the league’s first year in 23-24.
A huge part of that was the Takeover Tour games played in places that could be potential expansions. Across all 16 stops on the tour, there were over 200,000 fans in attendance. This includes record-breaking games at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada, and Madison Square Garden in New York City, USA. Simply put, people will and want to watch women’s hockey.
The PWHL Is Just Getting Started
With the league’s Walter Cup playoffs underway, the hunger for more continues to be there. Not only are more fans invested in the postseason, but they are pushing for more expansion. The PWHL heard this and has already awarded Detroit the ninth franchise in league history. This includes potentially adding up to four more teams, bringing the total to 12 in the next few years.
All in all, this proves that this league is here to stay. The desire for professional women’s hockey and sports continues to grow. The PWHL’s growth in popularity is sending an exciting message to everyone. The best is yet to come.
Leave a comment