The PWHL, now in its fourth season, has secured its first season-long U.S. national broadcast deal with Scripps Sports, as announced by the women’s hockey league. This agreement expands on Scripps’ previous broadcast of select regular-season games and the entire Walter Cup Finals playoff series last season. The deal will enable the PWHL to reach over 128 million U.S. households, with games airing on ION, Scripps’ national sports and entertainment network.
Scripps will produce and broadcast a game every Saturday on ION, available on various platforms such as over-the-air, connected TV, streaming services, and pay television. Additionally, the Scripps Sports Network will air two national games weekly, accessible on multiple streaming platforms like Roku, Prime Video, Fire TV, Google TV Freeplay, and Tubi.
Under the agreement, Scripps television affiliates in Detroit and Las Vegas will hold the local broadcast rights for the two new expansion teams. Amy Scheer, the PWHL executive vice-president of business operations, expressed excitement about the league’s extended national television presence, emphasizing its significance in the league’s growth.
Although the PWHL is yet to release its schedule, the season is anticipated to commence in late November. All PWHL games will continue to be streamed live on the league’s YouTube channel globally, excluding Canada, where the league has existing broadcast affiliations, including CBC Sports.
The partnership between PWHL and Scripps originated during the Winter Games in Milan, where the league hosted network executives. This collaboration follows the success of women’s hockey in the U.S., highlighted by the American team securing their third Olympic gold medal with a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory against Canada.
Since its inception in 2024, the 12-team PWHL has doubled in size with the addition of four expansion teams this season, including franchises in San Jose, California, and Hamilton, Ontario. The league now comprises seven teams in the U.S. and five in Canada.
Scripps enhances its portfolio of women’s sports properties with this deal, complementing existing broadcast agreements with the WNBA, NWSL, and the Women’s TMRW Golf League. Brian Lawlor, Scripps Sports president, highlighted ION as the primary platform for women’s sports, providing athletes with a prominent stage to showcase their skills and fans to engage with their favorite teams.
Moreover, Scripps’ affiliates hold broadcasting rights for several NHL teams, such as Florida and Las Vegas, the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, and the NCAA’s Big Sky Conference.
