PWHL, Scripps Sports announce first season-long U.S. TV deal
It’s finally happened.
On Wednesday, the Professional Women’s Hockey League and Scripps Sports announced a television deal in the United States. The contract, currently set for the 2026-27 season, is the first U.S. national broadcast rights deal that will carry for an entire campaign.
In accommodating the growing league, which has expanded to 12 teams for its fourth season of operation, Scripps will produce a “Game of the Week” every Saturday on ION, the company’s national sports and entertainment network.
As part of the deal, ION will be the exclusive U.S. home for the Walter cup Finals, as well as one of the earlier rounds of the postseason. Scripps Sports Network, which aired many games last season, will have two other “national” broadcasts earlier in the week. SSN is available on The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, Prime Video, Fire TV, Google TV Freeplay, Tubi and other streaming platforms.
PWHL executive vice president of business operations, Amy Scheer, states that a U.S. television deal has been a long time coming for the league.
“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,” Scheer said in a release. “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.”
ION was the home of the PWHL’s first linear TV broadcast last season, as the second Takeover Tour game in Detroit last March was seen in homes across the nation. ION also carried the Walter Cup Final, which saw the Montreal Victoire defeat the Ottawa Charge in the first all-Canadian final.
While the ION and SSN is a landmark move for the PWHL, fans will still be able to stream games in the U.S. on YouTube and the league’s website.
ION and Scripps Sports have become known as a network synonymous with women’s sports. The network was the first to create dedicated nights for coverage of the WNBA and NWSL, and to broadcast doubleheaders for both leagues on those nights. ION has also created dedicated studio shows for both leagues.