PWHL Experienced Unprecedented Growth Across Attendance, Digital Engagement, Merchandise Sales, and Partnerships
NEW YORK AND TORONTO (June 4, 2025) – In its landmark second season, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) continued its upward trajectory, breaking all-time attendance records in women’s professional hockey and marking a series of historic firsts — from the introduction of the league’s inaugural PWHL Takeover Tour™ to the addition of two new expansion teams, continuing to push the sport forward to unprecedented heights. Beyond the numbers, the league strengthened its roots in communities through its Unity Games, grassroots programming, and fan-first experiences.
“In our second season, fans from every U.S. state, and every Canadian province and territory caught a PWHL game – a remarkable moment for professional women’s hockey,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL Executive Vice President of Business Operations. “The growth across our business, from attendance to merchandise sales to partnerships, continues to redefine what’s possible for our game and our league. With games played in 25 venues since the PWHL’s inception, we’ve expanded access to see the best women’s hockey players in the world live, bringing the action into an ever-growing number of communities across North America.”
“Season Two has been nothing short of historic for the PWHL, with so many exciting firsts and monumental milestones - from our inaugural Takeover Tour to the announcement of our new expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. “We’ve seen incredible on-ice performances from the best women’s hockey players in the world, and we’re just getting started. The growth and energy around the league are undeniable, and the future of women’s hockey has never been brighter.”
Attendance
In 2024-25, the PWHL drew a total of 737,455 fans across 102 games (regular season + playoffs) - up 52.5% from last season’s 483,530 (72 regular season and 13 playoff games).
Overall average attendance increased 27% from Season One, rising from 5,689 to 7,230 per game.
With 1,220,985 fans attending games across the league’s first two seasons, the PWHL’s momentum continues to build.
Merchandise Sales
Sales of PWHL gear doubled season over season, reflecting 100% growth across the league.
The increase was sparked by the unveiling of team names and logos ahead of Season Two, new collections to support Unity Games, and new collections with Barbie and Peace Collective, and lululemon.
Partnerships
The league and team partnership portfolio grew by 50% season over season, with notable additions including Ally, Bravado, EA Sports, Factor Meals, Intact Insurance, Midea and SharkNinja.
Social / Digital Engagement
Engagement across PWHL League and Team social media platforms (X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Bluesky, YouTube) increased by 68% over Season One content.
Viewers tuned in to watch live PWHL games from 106 different countries, up from 88 during the inaugural season.
The league’s re-designed website at thepwhl.com had more than 20 million views from users spanning over 150 countries around the world.
PWHL Takeover Tour
The inaugural PWHL Takeover Tour featured nine neutral-site regular-season games, drawing a total of 123,601 fans.
The Vancouver game drew a sold-out crowd of 19,038 at Rogers Arena - 4th-highest single-game attendance in PWHL history.
The Detroit game set a U.S. attendance record with 14,288 fans at Little Caesars Arena and marked the moment the league surpassed its one millionth fan.
Unity Games
The PWHL introduced its Unity Games series celebrating Black History Month, Women’s Empowerment Month, Pride, Indigenous Heritage, Mental Health Awareness, and Community Hockey Heroes.
Unity Game artwork was designed by community artists and activations included special programming, in-game tributes, and partnerships with local and national organizations.
Grassroots Hockey
The PWHL hosted its inaugural Fantasy Camp in January in Toronto, an immersive event offering adult fans the unique opportunity to step into the life of a PWHL athlete.
The PWHL Breakthrough Cup powered by PLAY Hockey, was the league’s first girls hockey tournament held in April in Minnesota, bringing together teams of all ages and skill levels to pave the pathway to women's professional hockey.
The PWHL's "Ready, Set, Skate" program was introduced to give beginners an unforgettable first hockey experience - full of fun, learning, and excitement.
PWHL Media House
PWHL Media House was introduced to expand the conversation and content around women’s hockey and highlight women’s hockey players of all generations like never before.
The PWHL acquired the Jocks in Jills podcast, hosted by Tessa Bonhomme and Julia Tocheri, which is playing a key role in the growth of the new media venture with an audience in over 100 countries and expanded coverage that featured live post-game shows during the playoffs.
Looking Ahead to Season Three
Beyond attendance records, the league celebrated the announcement of two new expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver for the 2025-26 season.
Since both April announcements, fans in both cities have shown remarkable enthusiasm, placing more than 10,000 combined Season Ticket Member deposits. This early momentum signals a strong appetite for the PWHL’s West Coast expansion and sets the stage for excitement ahead of Season Three.
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