Europe's top women's hockey league, the SDHL, will broadcast all games on YouTube next season, a move similar to what the PWHL did in season one. Previously, Swedish networks TV4 and SVT shared the league's broadcasting rights, but the league recognized more young fans are consuming games on social and digital platforms.
"We are incredibly proud to announce that SDHL's matches next season will be broadcast on YouTube," said Angelica Lindeberg, CEO of the SDHL in a translated quote. "This makes the league more accessible than ever, both for fans in Sweden and internationally."
That accessibility will also allow more North American teams from the NCAA to PWHL to regularly watch top players overseas. It's the focus on increasing the league's reach, and allowing for more storytelling controlled by the league that helped drive the decision.
"YouTube as a broadcasting platform is a strategic step in SDHL's continued development," said Lindeberg. We want and need to maximize our reach, improve accessibility and create new opportunities for commercial collaborations – while offering the audience a modern and accessible experience. It is completely in line with our core values: to be brave and innovative."
While marketing and a focus on high quality production are central to the move, the reach is a tremendous benefit, one the PWHL capitalized off during their exclusive run on YouTube.
"It feels very exciting that SDHL will now be available globally on the world's largest video platform," said Viktor Johansson of XVI Sports, who negotiated the broadcast rights for the SDHL. "We see great opportunities to attract new fans, while giving all existing hockey fans a completely new way to experience world-class ice hockey."
The SDHL season is set to begin September 5, 2025, roughly a week earlier than usual. The league will take a month long break for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, with their regular season concluding February 27.