Getty Images
A Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) game will be broadcast on over-the-air (OTA) national network television in the US for the first time thanks to a deal with Scripps Sports and Ally.
Key details:
- Scripps network Ion to broadcast game between New York Sirens and the Montreal Victoire on 28th March
- Ion estimated to have a reach of more than 126 million US households
- Ally to be presenting sponsor of broadcast and the game itself
- Partnership negotiated by WPP Media
Context:
The PWHL becomes the latest women’s sports property to be broadcast by Ion, with Scripps also showing the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in primetime broadcast slots. Ion is freely available over-the-air on pay and connected televisions, as well as on free ad-supported television (FAST) streaming platforms.
For the PWHL, the nationally televised game comes on the back of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, where the US women’s national team won gold in ice hockey. Their final win averaged 5.3 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, becoming the most watched women’s ice hockey game ever in the US.
The league has since seen a bump in attendances, with the first three games after the Olympics being sold out affairs. It will hope the rise in popularity for women’s ice hockey will translate to a national broadcast deal, with its games currently broadcast by local television stations in select markets, as well as being streamed on YouTube.
Meanwhile, Ally Financial has a commitment to equally invest in men’s and women’s sports. The firm has become a prominent backer of women’s sports, having previously backed the NWSL to move its 2022 championship game into a primetime broadcast, and also elevating golf’s US Women’s Open prize purse to a record US$12 million.
Comment:
“Fan interest in women’s hockey is at an all-time high, buoyed by the amazing success of Team USA in this year’s Winter Olympics Games,” said Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports. “We are thrilled to be teaming with the PWHL and Ally Financial on this milestone event and to bring the excitement of this league to a national audience for the first time.”
“We are continuing to fuel this rocket ship that is the PWHL as we expand the reach and exposure of our league to new fans,” added Amy Scheer, PWHL executive vice president of business operations. “This first‑ever national broadcast is a truly historic moment for our league, and with partners like Ally Financial and Scripps Sports, we’re introducing more people to our fast-paced and exciting game than ever before.”
Women’s sport audiences are surging, but billions remain untapped. SportsPro London’s dedicated content track shows investors, sponsors, rights holders and media how to close the monetisation gap and scale this high-revenue opportunity. Taking place this April, learn more here.