Scripps Sports is quickly broadening its coverage of pro women’s hockey by adding the PWHL’s Walter Cup Finals to its national TV schedule on ION in May, the league announced on Wednesday.
The agreement means the best-of-five series will be broadcast to a U.S.-wide audience on linear television for the first time in the PWHL’s three-year history, with ION accessible to 126 million American households.
The announcement marks the next step in Scripps Sports' growing relationship with the PWHL. And it follows a surge in interest in women’s hockey following Team USA’s gold medal victory over Canada at the Milan Cortina Games
Last week, the league announced its neutral site outing at Detroit between Montreal and New York on March 28 would be the first PWHL game available to a national U.S. audience, and also broadcast by Scripps Sports.
“Americans are hungry for more world-class women’s hockey,” Scripps president and CEO Adam Symson said in a release, referring to the Olympics. “Fans shouldn’t have to wait another four years to experience this level of passion, skill and drama. So we’re keeping the momentum going.”
The PWHL was represented by 61 Olympians, 41 of whom won medals, with a majority making up the U.S. and Canadian rosters.
The PWHL regular seasons ends on April 25, and followed by two best-of-five semifinal series. The Walter Cup Finals are expected to start in mid-May, with the Minnesota Frost two-time champions.
Scripps Sports has an established track record of broadcasting women’s sports as a rights-holder for WNBA and NWSL games. And it has previously aired PWHL games in its NHL TV markets.
ION is available free over the air as well as on pay and connected TV, and ad-supported streaming platforms.
The latest broadcast deal follows discussions the PWHL had in hosting Scripps executives in Milan, and has the potential to turn into a larger partnership in the near future.
“The PWHL Walter Cup Finals are built for this kind of stage, and their debut on national television in the U.S. is another meaningful step in making our games easier to find and follow,” PWHL executive VP of business operations Amy Scheer said.
Though the PWHL has national broadcast partners in Canada, games in its four U.S. markets are limited to mostly local affiliates. All games are also available in the U.S. on the league’s YouTube channel.
After expanding to Seattle and Vancouver last spring, the eight-team league is planning to add as many as four teams next season. The PWHL has enjoyed a 23% jump in ticket sales this season.
AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey
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