Hockey

A recap of the PWHL’s second season by the numbers

Just like the PWHL’s inaugural season, the league’s sophomore campaign was chock-full of successes — on and off the ice. Let’s take a closer look at the numbers.

June 09, 2025

PWHL shares Takeover Tour wins that prove women’s sports should activate out-of-market

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The PWHL shared wins from its first-ever Takeover Tour today, which saw all six teams play games at nine different exhibition sites across the U.S. and Canada. Not only was this a brilliant strategy to market test in potential PWHL cities, but the tour spurred engagement and allowed the league to reach new hockey fans.

April 11, 2025

PWHL and Greenfly partnership illustrates marketing opportunity in tunnel walks

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Since the beginning, the PWHL has been intentional in its development, from signing a CBA before the puck dropped to nabbing early broadcast and founding partners. One of those decisions — a deal with software company Greenfly — has provided insight into how athlete engagement behaviors can shape sponsorship, especially amid the growth opportunity of tunnel walks.

April 09, 2025

PWHL sees attendance growth in Canadian and neutral site games

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A new report from Front Office Sports revealed that PWHL attendance has risen about 30% thus far compared to last year’s average, but the gains aren’t being felt everywhere. While neutral site and Canadian games have drawn higher-than-average crowds, U.S. attendance remains flat YoY, which could have ramifications on the PWHL’s expansion plans south of the border.

January 27, 2025

PWHL Takeover Tour could offer brands similar opportunities to the WNBA’s Canadian games

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As discussed on yesterday’s episode of The GIST of It, the PWHL’s nine-city Takeover Tour is only three stops in, but there’s already plenty of discussion on where the league will establish its first two expansion franchises later this year.

January 15, 2025

PWHL partners with three new brands in Canada as league offers unique cross-border access

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Hockey is huge in Canada, so naturally, the PWHL’s popularity is growing fast among Canadian fans and sponsors. After tipping off its second season with nearly 50 corporate partnerships, the league inked three more Canadian-based deals this week, demonstrating its interest in reaching women’s sports fans on both sides of the border.

December 13, 2024

PWHL inks two key partnerships ahead of its new season

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Winter is upon us, and so is the second season of the PWHL. After scoring serious business wins in year one, the pro women’s hockey league is gearing up for expansion, from adding two new teams by next year to signing multiple partnerships before Saturday’s puck dropped — including one in October with yours truly.

December 02, 2024

Sports Business

PWHL announces new branding for all six teams as it gears up for season two

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September 11, 2024

As mentioned, the PWHL unveiled new names, logos, and colors for its inaugural six franchises, which sparked intense reactions across the hockey community. Part of what caught fans off guard is that the PWHL decided team branding without major input from teams, players, or fans, which Front Office Sports explained is a result of the league’s structure.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #485

Just the beginning: Breaking down tomorrow’s WNBA Canada Game

August 14, 2025

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Just the beginning: Breaking down tomorrow’s WNBA Canada Game

Buckle up.

The WNBA’s first-ever international regular-season game tips off in Vancouver tomorrow at 10 p.m. ET, marking the third Canada Game in the league’s history. Before the Seattle Storm and Atlanta Dream battle for Great White North bragging rights (and fight to maintain their playoff positions), tune into today’s episode of The GIST of It to learn about this monumental moment for Canada women’s basketball, the implications for the W’s future expansion plans, and of course, to hear who co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are rooting for. Swish swish.