Hamilton is expected to become the PWHL's 11th franchise with an announcement scheduled for Thursday morning at TD Coliseum.
After weeks of speculation, Hamilton is expected to make their PWHL expansion announcement official on Thursday morning at TD Coliseum in Hamilton.
Hamilton will play home games at the recently renovated TD Coliseum where the market drew 16,012 fans for a Takeover Tour game this season.
According to the Hamilton Spectator, the team is expected to practice and train at the nearby Morgan Firestone Arena in Ancaster, Ontario.
Hamilton put down the PWHL Takeover Tour logo at center ice for their game highlighting the potential branding and promotion opportunities the venue could mount. The venue will also be home to an AHL franchise as Bridgeport is set to relocate.
TD Coliseum in Hamilton is operated and the renovation overseen by Oak View Group, who are a strategic partner with the PWHL. Oak View Group also operates Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena, and this year became the PWHL's "exclusive sponsorship sales partner, responsible for securing national, regional, and local sponsorship packages for the league and its eight teams..."
A Hamilton PWHL bid also has the backing of local politicians including Mayor and former NDP leader Andrea Horwath.
"Hamilton has a deep and passionate hockey tradition, and we are seeing strong, growing enthusiasm for women’s professional sport," Horwath told The Hockey News prior to the city's PWHL Takeover Tour stop. "With the momentum in our core and the strength of our fan base, Hamilton is well-positioned to continue hosting major events like this, and, potentially, a future PWHL team. The Coliseum has long been a cultural touchstone in our city, and seeing it come alive again with this level of talent is inspiring, especially for young girls who are dreaming big about what’s possible.”
There are 8.8 million people within one hour of Hamilton's TD Coliseum. When you expand that circle slightly, the number climbs to close to 10 million people tapping into Southwestern Ontario, the Golden Horseshoe, Buffalo, New York, which is just barely over an hour from Hamilton.
More to come.