For followers of ice hockey, the term “Original Six” should ring a bell as a moniker identifying the six teams that provided the foundation for today’s National Hockey League. Today, these storied franchises — Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, New York (Rangers), Detroit and Boston — remain the most valuable, profitable, and sustainable clubs in what is now a 32-team league.
Well, surprise … the NHL, despite having just played exhibition games in Melbourne, Australia, is not the point of this story. It is another “Original Six,” the Professional Women’s Hockey League, that established its inaugural player rosters on Sept. 18 in Toronto and will launch its first season, a 24-game schedule, in January 2024. The PWHL will also play neutral-site games (designed to broaden its reach) plus a playoff round guaranteed to award the initial Cup to a historic champion.
Who are these original six? Like the NHL’s founders, this new version will start in Boston, New York, Montreal and Toronto plus Minnesota and Ottawa. Three in the U.S., three in Canada.
If your thoughts hark back to previous women’s hockey leagues — the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF), the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL), or the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) — and the challenges each of those leagues faced in attaining sustainability, we get it. To paraphrase the rock band AC/DC, it’s a long way to the top if you want to sell some goals.
Our view, stated simply, is that this time, the deal goes down differently. In addition to the hockey-friendly team locations, numerous other pieces are in place to drive success. Could the PWHL join the WNBA as a sustainable and high-profile league in professional team sports?
We say “yes” and we’re not alone.
The NHL, which previously didn’t want to weigh in on women’s hockey while two leagues tried staying afloat, immediately announced, “The National Hockey League congratulates the Professional Women’s Hockey League on today’s announcements. We remain committed to supporting the women’s game and look forward to working together with the PWHL to grow our sport.”
Why would the NHL say that? Because a rising sheet of new ice lifts all Zambonis. More people following the fastest game on ice means more hockey sophistication and fan avidity.
The PWHL helps the NHL and vice versa. In fact, the NHL has publicly stated it might include the PWHL in the NHL’s All-Star Weekend. Do you see the bigger picture emerging?
There are a few other things to ponder if you’re uncertain about women’s pro hockey.
The PWHL has strong ownership and board members (including individuals such as Billie Jean King, Stan Kasten and Mark and Kimbra Walter) and a strong players association in place. Before they drop the first puck, both sides have an eight-year collective-bargaining agreement in place.
As background, the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) emerged following the collapse of the CWHL in 2019 and formally organized in 2023. Its executive director, Brian Burke, is a former NHL executive and club-level general manager and particularly well known in hockey circles.
On the ownership side, the league has a model where all six teams have the same owner. This is common in many startup league scenarios (MLS did the same thing).
That owner is the Mark Walter Group, the entity that purchased the scattered assets of the PHF earlier this summer. The Walters (co-owners of the L.A. Dodgers) have deep pockets for this type of venture. Billie Jean King Enterprises is also involved as is Jayna Hefford, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, Hockey Hall of Fame inductee (2018), and former commissioner of the CWHL. She will serve as the PWHL’s senior VP of hockey operations.
Finally, and perhaps the best indicator of future success, was the recently announced partnership with the Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC). CTC is one of Canada’s leading retailers with more than 50,000 staff and annual revenue exceeding $15 billion. Impressively, CTC has committed that 50% of its sponsorship investment will go to women’s professional sport by 2026.
That single factoid bodes well for the PWHL, especially given the importance of hockey in Canada. Not surprisingly, CTC was the official sponsor of the league’s entry draft.
CTC has a long history with pucks and, as a founding partner (with a multiyear agreement), can aggressively provide financial resources, co-branded marketing, but also the kind of legitimacy a new league needs in attracting other sponsors, media engagement, and fans.
It’s a curious thing to start a sports league. An investor (or consortium) needs so many things to go right. Timing. Putting together a savvy executive team. Leveraging technological advances better than leagues with heavier infrastructures and obligations. Oh, and a couple of other things: Money. Sponsors. The world’s best players.
Yes, the old pros and first movers hold an advantage. But strategic innovators can run with big dogs. Neither of us are gamblers but we like the early odds on whether the PWHL will make it. Seems like the right players are in the right place at the right time.
What do you think?
Rick Burton is the David B. Falk Professor of Sport Management at Syracuse University and COO of Playbk Sports. Norm O’Reilly is the dean of the University of Maine’s Graduate School of Business and partner with the T1 Agency. The revised/updated paperback version of their book, “Business the NHL Way: Lessons from the Fastest Game on Ice,” was released by the University of Toronto Press this month.
Questions about OPED guidelines or letters to the editor? Email editor Jake Kyler at jkyler@sportsbusinessjournal.com
