This week on The IX Sports Podcast Hockey Edition, host Maya Smith is joined by Frankie de la Cretaz, a Boston-based journalist who covers the intersection between sports and gender.
Smith started out the podcast solo by covering the news out of the PWHL this morning that this year the PWHL will host its first-ever All-Star Game in March 2027. The game will be held at Scotiabank Arena.
Then Smith was joined by de la Cretaz, who runs the newsletter Out of Your League and is based in Boston.
They explained that the Boston Fleet use a pirate-theme to embrace the Boston spirit.
“Boston sports fans have a reputation, and you know, love it or hate it. I think when people think of Boston sports fans or sports culture, they think of you know a very in your face, maybe a little bit obnoxious kind of fandom. And I’ve been curious to see how, if and how that translates to the women’s sports space,” de la Cretaz said. The team led the league in yellow cards last season.
“I think it’s been really interesting for me to see, even as a team that’s forming its identity, the way that the players have almost like seemed to kind of pick up on the vibe of the city a little bit as they’re here,” de la Cretaz said.
Then the pair turned to discuss the possibility that anti-trans demonstrators, such as those who targeted the NWSL and the WNBA this past season. The demonstrations started after the Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham said that she did not think transgender women should play women’s sports.
Smith asked de la Cretaz if, with the PWHL set to start in the coming months, anti-trans protestors may start staging demonstrations outside games.
“I think the PWHL should be prepared for something similar,” de la Cretaz said.
Tune in to the episode to hear more about the changes and challenges that may face the PWHL this season.
Make sure to subscribe to The IX Sports Podcast for in-depth coverage of women’s soccer, hockey and basketball; and tune in each weekday morning for a quick overview of the biggest headlines on Women’s Sports Daily, like WNBA news and PWHL expansion updates.
