Menu
Leagues and Governing Bodies

Fans Pack Arenas For Well-Received National Women's Hockey League Games

Close to 1,800 fans last night "packed HarborCenter for the inaugural Buffalo Beauts game in the National Women’s Hockey League," and the team "received a standing ovation even after dropping a 4-1 decision to the Boston Pride," according to Amy Moritz of the BUFFALO NEWS. Manon Rhéaume, the goaltender who is the "only woman to play in an NHL game, dropped the ceremonial first puck as girls from area youth hockey leagues filled in the Beauts bench for the pregame ceremony." There was "no official attendance given," but around 1,200 tickets "were sold and a solid walkup had the 1,800-seat HarborCenter near capacity" (BUFFALO NEWS, 10/12). In New York, Dave Ricci writes the game "was far more than just about the final score," it was "about the ground-breaking day of a new women's pro league." The "magnitude of this day cannot be overstated." The women of all four NWHL teams -- the Beauts, Pride, N.Y. Riveters and Connecticut Whale -- "all know there is a lot on the line." They are "trailblazers for a league that has more than enough talent to succeed" (NIAGARA GAZETTE, 10/12). In Connecticut, Gerry deSimas noted a "loud, sellout crowd of more than 600 fans crammed into" Stamford's Chelsea Piers rink yesterday to watch the Whale and Riveters play their initial NWHL contest. Whale RW Kelli Stack said, “It was so loud in there you couldn’t hear each other on the ice. It was so much fun to play in front of loud fans like that.” NWHL Founder & Commissioner Dani Rylan "dropped the ceremonial first puck." She said, "[I] had goosebumps throughout the game. I was trying not to cry when I walked out onto the ice for the first puck drop. This was really special" (COLLINSVILLEPRESS.com, 10/11).

PRODUCT PLACEMENT: YAHOO SPORTS' Greg Wyshynski wrote the league opened with "fast-paced games in front of the rapt attention of hockey fans that have waited a lifetime to see women earn a salary in a pro hockey league." For Riveters-Whale, there was a "large line outside the rink ... as fans waited for their chance to witness history." The NWHL "distinguished itself by its uniforms." There were the "green and blue Whale, evoking the Hartford Whalers in look and name." Rylan said, "The product on the ice was exactly what we wanted. It was a professional hockey game. ... If this was someone’s first women’s hockey game, I guarantee you it’s not going to be their last." Wyshynski wrote the "best thing that could happen in the Whale’s opening game ... was that the hockey was everything cynics say it’s not." The pace "was quick," and the scoring chances "were plentiful" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/11).

TOUGH SELL? CBSSPORTS.com's Chris Peters wrote the league is "hyperlocal, with all four teams located in the East, limiting overall exposure to a large portion of the country." NWHL officials are "doing whatever is possible to allow this league to succeed on a small scale before expanding." It is "smart to not shoot the moon right away." But making this work "is going to be hard." They will "have to sell a lot of tickets in small buildings," and they will "have to prove commercially viable to corporate partners." Even after "all that it still might not work, but we'd never know if someone wasn't willing to try." This league "probably won't be able to stand on its own forever." NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has "said for years that the league has discussed a potential of putting together a women's hockey league, but the research showed that it would not be viable at this point." Peters: "One has to wonder how closely Bettman and his cohorts will be watching the NWHL, though." There "may be a benefit to the league at some point to associate themselves with something like this" (CBSSPORTS.com, 10/11).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/10/12/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NWHL.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/10/12/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NWHL.aspx

CLOSE