Hey women’s sports fans! It’s Lydia Murray here from The Ice Garden, bringing you the latest edition of Hockey Friday. With the PWHL schedule rumored to drop in the first week or so of October, I figured I’d take a look at some nontraditional markets the league should visit for neutral-site games this season.
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Why visit non-traditional markets now?
Two words: Olympic momentum.
Last season’s PWHL Takeover Tour was a massive success. So, it’s no surprise that the league is looking to play some more neutral-site games this season. However, this year, the league would be wise to visit more nontraditional markets in addition to some established ones. Women’s hockey has gotten an enormous amount of attention in both the U.S. and Canada during the past few Olympics. This will be the first tournament in the PWHL’s young history, and they need to be ready to harness the momentum the Olympics will bring them. The best way to do that is to let more people experience a game live, which means it’s time to visit some fresh markets.
So, what might some of those markets be?
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California
With two teams on the Pacific coast now, playing a game in California this season is a no-brainer. It’s the most populated state in the country and home to three NHL teams that the PWHL could partner with for the game. However, another thing that makes California an intriguing market is the distribution of registered female players in the state. According to USA Hockey’s annual report, for the 2024-25 season, California ranks sixth in registered female players in the U.S. (3,841), but third aged 20+ (1,528). That’s 39% of the state’s registered players, which is a significantly higher proportion than the states with more players. The PWHL seriously lacks in its marketing efforts toward adult fans without young families. However, California could present a perfect opportunity for them to try out some different approaches in a seemingly adult-heavy market, while also working to engage young girls in the sport in a state that needs more of them.
Florida
If there was ever a season for the PWHL to try its hand in Florida, it’s this one. The NHL’s Florida Panthers are coming off back-to-back Stanley Cup wins, while both the Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning are hosting outdoor games against markets that the PWHL already calls home (New York and Boston, respectively). There has never been this much hockey momentum in Florida, and the PWHL would be foolish not to pay a visit.
For the most part, harnessing post-Olympic momentum is probably the best strategy for nontraditional market games. However, there is also a good argument for the PWHL taking a trip to Florida ahead of Milan. After all, the league has never held an outdoor game, and the NHL Stadium Series is set for February 1 in Tampa. If they’re still in session, the PWHL should see if they can work with the NHL and also hold a game at Raymond James Stadium for an Olympic send-off. However, there is risk involved with hosting what would likely be an expensive event in an untested market, far away from their hometowns, so it’s understandable if that feels like too big of a gamble at the moment. But, even if it’s not outside, they should head to Florida for a game. There’s simply too much hockey momentum there to ignore.
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Saskatchewan
It’s difficult to call any market in Canada “nontraditional.” However, Saskatchewan is probably as close as you can get to it, at least at the professional level. It’s long been overlooked for professional hockey, although there was briefly a women’s team there as part of the Western Women’s Hockey League. That said, there is still a passionate fanbase there. When the NHL visited Regina for the 2019 Heritage Classic between the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets, they drew a sellout crowd of over 33,000 fans. It’s not a stretch to imagine many of those people turning up for women’s hockey, too. The PWHL has found great success playing in front of fans in both eastern and western Canadian provinces, so it’s time to pay a visit to those in the middle.
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