KAITLYNS SPORT STORIES RECAP: MARCH 18

In this 16th edition, we learn more about the PWHL’s Takeover Weekend in two new cities in the United States and how these games proved there is a case to be made for why multiple cities around North America have a women’s hockey void that could benefit from being filled. We also learn more about the NWSL’s 2024 season debut and how viewing methods for Canadian fans have grown for this year. Lastly, we learn about the exciting upcoming PWHL game in Montréal and the details of what could be a record-breaking attendance match.

The stories of the week show young girls in sport and physical activity that:

1. While the 2024 inaugural PWHL season has been successful so far, it will be exciting when we approach the stage with expansion teams announced and see which cities will be able to have more active women’s hockey representation through professional players, fans, and those working in the hockey industry.
2. An increase in ways to make NWSL games easily accessible to Canadian fans will mean more global exposure and growth for the league. On the Canadian side, having more access to a women’s soccer league can increase the sport’s buy-in and help improve the state of Canadian women’s soccer.
3. The opportunity for professional women’s hockey to be played in larger venues helps continue to strengthen the standard that the demand for women’s professional hockey and women’s sports in general is very evident. These sellout games help normalize the concept that women’s sports are a significant financial success and help eliminate the false notion that women’s sports only belong in smaller-sized venues.

Photo from PWHL Ottawa

Detroit & Pittsburgh get a taste of pro women’s hockey during PWHL Takeover Weekend

This past weekend, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) took two of its games to new cities for a PWHL Takeover Weekend, which took place in Detroit, Michigan, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, respectively.

On Saturday, PWHL Ottawa faced off against PWHL Boston at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The attendance for the game was 13,736, which set a new record for the highest attendance of professional women’s hockey games in the United States. In attendance for the puck drop, former professional hockey player and the first and only woman to play in the NHL, Manon Rhéaume, was honoured. The game also included an epic Taylor Swift sing-along moment with the crowd (watch here). In the end, PWHL Boston came out victorious with a final score of 2-1. 

On Sunday, PWHL Toronto faced off against PWHL Montréal at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. The attendance for the game was 8,850. In the end, PWHL Toronto came out victorious with a final score of 2-1, extending Toronto’s winning streak to 10 games now. After this weekend, both games have only heightened the buzz around the cities, which are both fitting contenders for what could hopefully be PWHL expansion teams in the future.

Photo from Thornton Tomasetti

2024 NWSL season kicks off + how to watch in Canada

The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) 2024 season has kicked off, and it was nothing short of a big debut weekend. There were exciting matches, sold-out crowds, players returning from injury, and more. The new season has brought in more ways that fans can catch matches on television or online. Below are a couple of ways that Canadian fans can tune in. For starters, Canadian sports television channel, TSN will show the soccer matches. The NWSL on TSN regular season and playoff schedule can be viewed here.

The matches will also be featured on broadcast television network ION. The network will be hosting “Saturday night women’s soccer”. The NWSL on ION schedule can be viewed here. Prime Video, the subscription video-on-demand streaming service, will also be home to many NWSL matches. The NWSL on Prime streaming schedule can be viewed here.

Lastly, Canadian fans can sign up for NWSL+ to view games online. The new free service allows fans to watch “more than 70 live matches, highlights, full replays, and more throughout the 2024 NWSL season.” Sign up for NWSL+ here. 

Photo from Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Opportunity for a new world record with upcoming PWHL Bell Centre game

An upcoming PWHL Montréal game has been relocated to Bell Centre in Montréal, Quebec. PWHL Montréal will host PWHL Toronto during what will be named the “Duel at the Top” or, in French, “Duel au Sommet” on Saturday, April 20, 2024. This will be the fifth time the two teams will face off. One of the previous matchups, hosted in Toronto, Ontario, at Scotiabank Arena, set the current world record for the highest attendance for a women’s professional hockey game, with 19,285 fans.

Bell Centre, home of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Montréal Canadiens, has a capacity of around 21,000 and is the largest hockey venue in North America. Should the highly anticipated matchup sell out, which would come as no surprise given the PWHL attendance records and the speed at which tickets are selling out, the April 20th game would set a new world record for a professional women’s hockey game. 

Tickets for the match go on sale Wednesday, March 20. To receive priority access, sign up for the PWHL Montréal newsletter here.

Kaitlyn’s Sport Stories Recap are written by Kaitlyn Lehbert, a passionate and driven sport advocate for girls and women. Kaitlyn holds her Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from Brock University. Learn more about Kaitlyn by clicking here!

Have a sport story you want to share? Contact info@fastandfemale.com and it may get featured in Kaitlyn’s next feature.