NEW YORK – On Saturday, April 4, the center of the women’s hockey world was Midtown Manhattan. A record-setting 18,006 fans filled Madison Square Garden, the world’s most famous arena, for a regular season contest between the New York Sirens and the Seattle Torrent. For three periods, a heart-stopping overtime, and an unforgettable shootout duel, MSG became a cauldron of light, sound, and joy. It was a celebration. Observers unanimously labeled the event a success and a sign of bigger and better things to come for the PWHL and, potentially, the Sirens.
New York State of Mind
“We have to be in New York,” PWHL Advisory Board member Billie Jean King said before Saturday’s game. “It’s the biggest market in the country, so that’s a no-brainer. Does it take longer than a year? Absolutely. Costs are higher, and all of that, but the investment is on schedule.”
PWHL Advisory Board member Stan Kasten joined King in a press conference before puck drop. Both have personal history and their own connections to New York. As builders in sport, they appreciate the challenge of establishing a startup league in the city.
“When we started, we thought our sweet spot was venues would be five thousand [seats],” Kasten said. “We declared that and now we think our sweet spot is at least ten ]thousand], but if we have to play in NHL buildings then that’s what we’ll do. We’ll fill them up, as we’ve shown tonight.
“The problem with New York is that they don’t make buildings that size – five and ten thousand seats – and this building, the most famous arena in the world, is booked all the time… Obviously we’ve got issues moving around because New York City is where so much sports fandom resides. Other than Madison Square Garden, there’s not a suitable building for us, but we’re getting to the day where we can fill up the bigger buildings.”
As much as fans and the league may want an MSG residence after the game’s success, it isn’t happening anytime soon. MSG is always booked, as evidenced on Saturday by the afternoon New York Rangers game that preceded the PWHL.
Kasten labeling the Garden as the only suitable building in the city effectively rules out the Barclays Center. Located in Brooklyn, it is home to the WNBA’s New York Liberty. Barclays has a hockey capacity of 15,795; while not not originally designed to host hockey games, it’s easily accessible by subway. The Sirens currently call the Prudential Center, located in Newark, New Jersey, their home rink. The Prudential Center can hold about 16,500 fans but the Sirens struggled to fill the building in the league’s first two seasons. More recently, the team set a franchise record with 8,264 fans flooding to Newark. The reason for that jump? A weekend game after the boom in interest following the 2026 Olympics.
Where It Goes Next
It’s hard to say what comes next for women’s hockey in New York City. But, there’s no denying what the 18,006 saw and felt together on Saturday night. The ceaseless energy in the building was so much more than a playoff atmosphere – it was a women’s sports atmosphere. It was fans starting the night cheering for Hilary Knight and then showering her with boos when her number was called in the shootout. It was the moments of queer joy captured and cheered repeatedly on the jumbotron. It was the eruptions of excitement for Gotham FC, the New York Exiles, and soccer legend Kelly O’Hara.
It was a true New York City success story. Everyone who got a taste of pro women’s hockey at MSG on Saturday is certainly ready for more.
Cmon, Mike! You know the Islanders don’t play in Brooklyn anymore.
The atmosphere at MSG on Saturday was unparalleled. Really hope they can get a couple Sirens games there each year.
Though I still want the league to shell out the money to put the ice and boards back into Barclays. We’d be able to get the Sirens logo at center ice. The Nets would be the only major tenant during the season, since the Liberty play in the summer. Admittedly Barclays has just as money concerts as MSG.
That was a typo on my part, thanks for the catch!
I am still smiling about that MSG game and its atmosphere. I wonder if UBS would be considered by the league as a potential home but I feel like another year at the Prudential Center is in the cards given the surge in attendance after the Olympics.