Detroit shoots to boost its bid for PWHL expansion team, drawing record crowd for pro women's hockey

DETROIT (AP) — Young women, among those in a record-breaking crowd, held up signs with messages for the Professional Women's Hockey League.

“PWHL DETROIT NEEDS A TEAM,” was printed on one side of the signs.

The six-team PWHL may expand next season — in its third year — and is touring cities potentially on the list to get in the game.

Detroit tried to improve its chances of landing a team, drawing 14,288 fans Sunday night to break the attendance record for a professional women's hockey game in the United States as New York beat Minnesota 4-1 at Little Caesars Arena.

The game was part of the PWHL's Takeover Tour of potential expansion venues and its latest stop was a hit, a year after 13,736 fans watched women play professional hockey on the same sheet of ice at the home of the Detroit Red Wings.

As impressive as the turnout has been in Detroit for a pair of PWHL games, it has competition.

Denver drew 14,018 fans, many breaking out in chants of “We want a team!” to set the previous U.S. record for a professional women's hockey game two months ago in another neutral-site game.

Besides Denver, others in the running include Seattle, Vancouver and Quebec, with the PWHL expected to announce a decision by early April.

“Everything’s a competition,” Frost forward Kendall Coyne Schofield said. “It’s awesome to see, but I think it also speaks to the demand and how this has been a long time coming.

“With the proper support, resources, investment and platform, anything is possible.”

The world attendance record for women’s hockey was set nearly a year ago when 21,105 people were in the stands for a PWHL game between Montreal and Toronto in the Canadiens’ arena.

During the first period of the Frost-Sirens game in Detroit, the PWHL announced more than 1 million fans have attended games since the league made its debut last season. Players from both teams gave fans in the stands pucks that commemorated the milestone.

“Sometimes, I don’t believe it’s real,” PWHL executive vice president Amy Scheer said. “When we started last year, we didn’t really know what to expect. To be here 16, 17 months later and to break the U.S record (for a pro women's hockey game), to see the Canadian arenas sell out, it’s surreal.

“The hockey, every game is unbelievable. I think on the business side, we’re putting on a great show for the fans. The fans appreciate it and it’s really humbling.”

Scheer has been careful to not provide any hint regarding which of the 20-plus markets the league expressed interest in as leading the pack. She maintained that market size, potential support and opportunities to reach partnerships with local businesses are being weighed equally.

Geography also isn't considered an issue for a league with three teams each in the U.S. (New York, Boston and Minnesota) and Canada (Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto), and concentrated in the northeast with the exception of Minnesota.

It may be advantageous for the league to add two U.S. teams to help attract a U.S. TV rights deal beyond the regional deals it has now, including a YouTube streaming agreement.

The league’s six teams are centrally run, and that will remain the case for the foreseeable future. Several private parties have approached the PWHL about owning teams outright, but have been turned down.

St. Louis is hosting the ninth and final stop of the Takeover Tour on March 29 when the Ottawa Charge face the Boston Fleet.

The regular season ends May 3 and the puck drops on the PWHL's second postseason the following week.

Expansion was placed on the table last fall, with the league careful to announce it was considering expanding by as many as two teams, and Scheer continuing to say it may be limited to one or none.

"We’ve done our homework and research and hopefully we’ll find out what that answer is over the next several weeks,” she said. “In a perfect world, I’d love to know something in the next couple of weeks. When the board decides, they’ll let us know.”

___

AP Hockey Writer John Wawrow contributed to this report.

___

AP Women’s Hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

Topics

Detroit draws 14,288 fans to watch PWHL game, setting U.S. record for pro women’s hockey game

The Professional Women’s Hockey League game broke the mark as part of its Takeover Tour of potential expansion venues at Little Caesars Arena, a year after 13,736 fans watched women on the same ...
Yahoo Sports - 1d
PWHL sets U.S. attendance record in Detroit as part of Takeover Tour

The Professional Women’s Hockey League neutral-site game in Detroit between the New York Sirens and Minnesota Frost has broken the record for attendance at a pro women’s hockey game in the United ...
Yahoo Sports - 1d
Detroit Lions re-sign wide receiver Tim Patrick

The Detroit Lions agreed to a one-year deal with free agent wide receiver Tim Patrick, the team announced Friday.
Yahoo Sports - 3d
Eminem joins Detroit's bid to land next WNBA expansion franchise, per report

Eminem just added some more star power to Detroit's bid
CBS Sports - 4d
Professional Women’s Hockey League game in Detroit chance to show 'hockey is viable career'

Taylor Girard, Elle Hartje lead New York Sirens against Minnesota Frost on Sunday at Little Caesars Arena in Professional Women’s Hockey League tour.
Yahoo Sports - 2d
These 5 teams could bust Auburn basketball's bracket, halt NCAA Tournament title run

Auburn basketball is the top team in this year's NCAA Tournament, but there are a few teams on its side of the bracket who reek of upset potential.
Yahoo Sports - 17h
Boston NWSL team to shed BOS Nation nickname

Boston's expansion National Women’s Soccer League team is rebranding before the team ever plays a match. The team scheduled to kick off next year will get a new name to replace BOS Nation in the ...
Yahoo Sports - 3d
Roy Lopez wants to coach one day, picked Detroit Lions to learn how from Dan Campbell

Roy Lopez is expected to play a rotational role at DT this fall for a Detroit Lions team that could be without Alim McNeill to start the season.
Yahoo Sports - 4d
From a South Carolina repeat to UConn ending its title drought: Six teams that could win it all

Sixty-eight teams will compete in March Madness. But these six make up the short list of title contenders.
ESPN - 4d

Detroit shoots to boost its bid for PWHL expansion team, drawing record crowd for pro women's hockey

Topics

Related

Detroit draws 14,288 fans to watch PWHL game, setting U.S. record for pro women’s hockey game

PWHL sets U.S. attendance record in Detroit as part of Takeover Tour

Detroit Lions re-sign wide receiver Tim Patrick

Eminem joins Detroit's bid to land next WNBA expansion franchise, per report

Professional Women’s Hockey League game in Detroit chance to show 'hockey is viable career'

These 5 teams could bust Auburn basketball's bracket, halt NCAA Tournament title run

Boston NWSL team to shed BOS Nation nickname

Roy Lopez wants to coach one day, picked Detroit Lions to learn how from Dan Campbell

From a South Carolina repeat to UConn ending its title drought: Six teams that could win it all

More from Yahoo Sports

Twins’ Royce Lewis will miss start of season after hurting his hamstring

Texans to pick up Derek Stingley's Jr.'s fifth-year option ahead of extension

MLB hyped up a video game-like replay view from the Tokyo Dome and fans justifiably hated it

The Players Championship 2025 prize money: Full payout from the $25 million purse

Auburn basketball’s first round opponent revealed ahead of 2025 NCAA Tournament

More in Sports

NCAA Tournament 2025 bracket picks, upsets, best Cinderella teams: Model simulates March Madness 10,000 times

With Paul George out for the year, 76ers look ahead to NBA draft lottery with immense stakes for franchise

With Paul George out for the year, 76ers look ahead to NBA draft lottery with immense stakes for franchise

WVU snub 'robbery' at highest level, gov. says

S. Alabama has NIT invite nixed: 'Unacceptable'