Vancouver, Quebec City among PWHL stops on North American tour

The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is set to embark on a nine-game tour across North America this season, taking their games outside of their usual markets in a bid to explore potential expansion sites. Known as the PWHL Takeover Tour, this initiative will see games played in Quebec City and Vancouver, offering a glimpse into the viability of these cities as future PWHL markets.

Amy Scheer, the league’s senior vice president of business operations, expressed excitement about the tour, stating that it is a natural progression in building the league’s audience. The PWHL is looking to add as many as two new teams as early as the 2025-26 season, with expansion plans already underway.

Last month, during the espnW Women and Sports Summit, Scheer announced that the league has initiated the expansion process by sending out requests for proposals to interested markets. The criteria for selection include market size, fan base, facilities, and economic opportunities. The league is also considering hosting outdoor games and expanding its reach to Europe in the future.

The tour will feature matchups between various PWHL teams in cities where the league currently does not have a presence. Tickets are already on sale for the games in Quebec City and Vancouver, with Montreal facing Ottawa in Quebec City on Jan. 19 and Montreal taking on Toronto in Vancouver on Jan. 8 at Rogers Arena, home of the NHL’s Canucks.

In addition to Quebec City and Vancouver, the tour will stop in Seattle, Denver, Buffalo, Raleigh, Detroit, and St. Louis. The league aims to engage with fans in these cities and showcase the talent of its players on a wider North American scale.

Last season, the PWHL held neutral site games in Pittsburgh and Detroit, with the latter game setting a new attendance record for a professional women’s hockey game in the U.S. Other American markets on the tour have a history of supporting women’s hockey, including Buffalo, which was home to the Beauts franchise in the Premier Hockey Federation.

The PWHL Takeover Tour represents an exciting opportunity for the league to expand its footprint and connect with fans in new markets. With plans for future expansion and innovative initiatives, the PWHL is poised for growth and success in the years to come.