• Loading stock data...
Saturday, July 5, 2025

PWHL ‘Takeover Tour’ Sets Attendance Record in Denver

More than 14,000 hockey fans showed up to Ball Arena in Denver to watch the Minnesota Frost beat the Montreal Victoire.

Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Sunday’s PWHL game between the Minnesota Frost and Montreal Victoire took place in an unusual location—in Denver, nearly 1,000 miles from either team’s home city. That didn’t deter 14,018 fans from flocking to Ball Arena, where they set a U.S. record for attendance at a professional women’s hockey game. 

The PWHL, which is in its second season, averaged 5,844 fans per game in 2024 but is already getting around 7,000 this season, thanks in part to strong attendance at neutral sites.

That’s part of the league’s growth strategy. Before the season, the PWHL began promoting a nine-city “Takeover Tour” designed to simultaneously whet the North American public’s appetite for pro women’s hockey and test out potential destinations for expansion franchises. (The tour is part of the regular season, which began Nov. 30.) The first game of the tour took place Jan. 5 in Seattle and drew 12,608 spectators to watch the Boston Fleet eke out a victory over the Victoire. Three nights later, 19,083 fans showed up in Vancouver to watch the Victoire beat the Toronto Sceptres—the third-highest attendance mark of any PWHL game to date.

PWHL SVP of business operations Amy Scheer said in October that the league was aiming to expand from six teams to eight in time for the 2025–2026 season, explaining it was “looking for the right market size, right fan base, right facilities, right economic opportunity.”

The PWHL is rapidly collecting data points—and airline miles—as it figures out which cities are most deserving of landing those two new franchises. 

The tour continues Jan. 19 and runs through March 29, with the remaining games in Québec City; Edmonton; Buffalo; Raleigh, N.C.; Detroit; and St. Louis. Several of those cities have previously been rumored as potential sites for PWHL expansion teams. 

Quebec City, the only site on this year’s tour without an NHL team, is perhaps making the biggest push; the city council is trying to fill the 18,259-seat Videotron Centre, which is currently home to a junior ice hockey team. Detroit, which became the previous record holder for U.S. attendance at a pro women’s hockey game after hosting a PWHL game last season, is another strong contender. Its citizens will be looking to prove its enthusiasm wasn’t a one-off occurrence.

Additional cities in the mix include Pittsburgh, which hosted a PWHL game last year, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

Despite Denver’s strong showing, its geography may be working against it in terms of landing a franchise. Minnesota is currently the westernmost team in the league. Moreover, despite Minnesota’s strong attendance, Canadian teams scored bigger crowds than their U.S. counterparts last season. Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto averaged 6,074, compared to the 4,408 who attended Minnesota, Boston, and New York home games.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Donald Trump

Trump Bill Has $1.6 Billion for Olympics, World Cup Security

Host cities have lobbied for federal funding to help with security costs.
Bill Ackman
exclusive

Billionaire Bill Ackman Prepares for ‘Once in a Lifetime’ Tennis Match in..

Ackman says he’s “peaking next week” at the Hall of Fame Open.

Hot Dog Maven George Shea on Chestnut Comeback and Investor Interest

George Shea runs a real estate PR firm and Major League Eating.
Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) passes the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field.

California AG Says Daily Fantasy Sports Are Illegal

The AG rejected arguments that DFS are games of skill, not chance.

Featured Today

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
July 4, 2025

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.
July 3, 2025

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”
June 29, 2025

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Jul 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) heads to the dugout prior to the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Dodger Stadium.

MLB Changes Are ‘Showing Great Results’: Former CFO

Big stars playing in major markets “make a real difference.”
July 2, 2025

NHL to Rejoin Olympic Ice in Milan—and NBC Set to Cash In

NHL players last competed in the Olympics in 2014.
Michael Johnson
July 3, 2025

Grand Slam Track Still Owes Athletes $13 Million: Source

The new track league hasn’t paid athletes in full yet.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
Sophie Cunningham
July 2, 2025

WNBA Expansion Decisions Show League Prioritizes North, NBA Ties

One player ripped the league for its geographic choices.
exclusive
July 2, 2025

PGA Tour Slashes FedEx Cup Winner Pay From $25M to $10M

The FedExCup is reworking how it distributes its bonus money.
Red Panda
July 2, 2025

Red Panda Hospitalized After WNBA Halftime Fall

The beloved performer was taken off the court in a wheelchair.
July 1, 2025

WNBA Roster Limits Under Fire After Vanloo’s Valkyries Release

Kaitlyn Chen remains on the Valkyries roster.