The Professional Women’s Hockey League is expanding its TV presence in the United States.
Scripps Sports and the PWHL on Wednesday announced a media rights deal for the 2026-27 season — the first season-long deal in the brief history of the league, which began play in 2024. The agreement will bring a PWHL Game of the Week to Scripps’ Ion network on Saturday nights. Ion will also continue to broadcast the Walter Cup Finals series and add another playoff series to its slate.
Scripps Sports Network, the company’s FAST channel for sports, will also show two PWHL games per week. The league’s YouTube channel and website will also continue streaming every game.
“A season-long national television presence in the U.S. is something we’ve been working toward and represents a significant step in our continued growth as a league,” said Amy Scheer executive vp business pperations for the PWHL. “Scripps continues to be a committed partner in shining a spotlight on women’s sports, and for the first time, our American fans will have the opportunity to follow the league on national television throughout an entire season, making the PWHL more accessible than ever before.”
The PWHL deal is a further investment for Scripps and Ion into women’s sports. The network also carries WNBA and NWSL games and will air events for the soon-to-launch Women’s Team Golf League. As part of the PWHL deal, Scripps affiliates in Detroit (WMYD) and Las Vegas (KMCC) will become the local broadcast partners for expansion teams in those cities as the league grows to 12 teams.
“Women’s sports is a cornerstone of our mission to create meaningful connections between communities and the sports and teams they love,” said Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports. “This partnership further demonstrates Ion as the premier destination for women’s sports, where athletes can showcase their talents on the biggest stage and fans can discover their next favorite team.”
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