The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is making significant strides as it prepares for the inaugural PWHL Takeover Tour, set to showcase women’s hockey across North America. Kicking off on January 5, 2025, this ambitious initiative consists of nine neutral-site regular-season games, each hosted mainly at major NHL arenas. The tour aims to engage new fans and promote women's hockey by unleashing the talents of some of the sport's brightest stars.
The first matchup will take place at Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena, featuring the Montreal Victoire against the Boston Fleet. This game, starting at 1:00 PM PST, marks the league's commitment to bringing exciting game day experiences to diverse locations. Ticket presales are scheduled for November 21 and will be available to the general public the following day.
Following the Seattle game, the tour will venture to various cities, including Vancouver, Colorado, Raleigh, Buffalo, Quebec City, St. Louis, and Detroit. Detroit's Little Caesars Arena is notable for making history last year by holding the largest attendance for U.S. professional women's hockey, drawing 13,736 fans to watch Boston take on Ottawa. The excitement surrounding the tour reflects the PWHL's strategy to increase its audience reach across the continent.
Citing the importance of this initiative, Amy Scheer, the PWHL Senior Vice President of Business Operations, expressed her enthusiasm. "Bringing PWHL games to fans across both countries is a natural next step as we continue building our audience. When exploring potential locations for PWHL games, the enthusiasm from cities eager to engage with our League was incredibly encouraging. The PWHL Takeover Tour lets us showcase our game and exceptional athletes across a wider North American footprint—an exciting moment for our players and an important move for our business as we look at expansion," she stated.
This tour aligns with the league’s broader goal of increasing visibility for women’s hockey and setting the stage for future growth. The PWHL has also declared plans to expand, considering introducing two new franchises for the start of the 2025–2026 season. Detroit and Pittsburgh are among the potential target cities for this expansion.
Fans can expect high-energy matchups featuring top talents. Players such as Marie-Philip Poulin from Montreal and Hilary Knight from Boston will undoubtedly draw attention to the league and its dedicated fanbase.
The PWHL Takeover Tour starts with the following matchups:
- January 5: Montreal vs. Boston (Seattle)
- January 8: Montreal vs. Toronto (Vancouver)
- January 12: Montreal vs. Minnesota (Denver)
- January 19: Ottawa vs. Montreal (Quebec City)
- February 16: Toronto vs. Ottawa (TBA)
- February 23: Boston vs. New York (Buffalo)
- March 7: Ottawa vs. Minnesota (Raleigh)
- March 16: Minnesota vs. New York (Detroit)
- March 29: Ottawa vs. Boston (St. Louis)
Preliminary ticket sales will start on November 21, launching what organizers hope to be the next big chapter for women's hockey. The league and their franchises are excited to engage with fans across various regions, benchmark growth, and assess opportunities for expansion.
Fans or newcomers interested can look forward to seeing some thrilling hockey moments. With the box office set to explode with the PWHL Takeover Tour, there’s no telling how this could reshape the narrative around women's sports and its significance within the broader sports culture.
So, mark your calendars and prepare to experience the electrifying atmosphere as the PWHL embarks on this tour, heralding the new season with fanfare and promise. There’s plenty of action to look forward to, and who knows? Perhaps your city will be the next to host one of these inspiring events.
