PWHL New York's Situation "Wasn't Ideal This Year"

PWHL New York played in three venues, and practices in a fourth, across three states, hours apart. The result was league worst attendance and slow growth of a fan base.

PWHL New York had the worst attendance this season in the PWHL. They played in three venues, and practiced in a fourth...in four different cities and three different states.

New York's league worst average of 2,496 was more than 1000 fewer fans than Boston, and exactly 5000 fewer fans, on average, than PWHL Ottawa. New York also welcomed the only game to fall below 1000 fans this season. 

The league bet on Bridgeport, Connecticut's Total Mortgage Arena as a venue, but pulled out of the city and arena as quickly as they could following a disastrous start to the year in Connecticut. The problem is, the league also spend significant money to set up offices and practice facilities for PWHL New York in Connecticut at Chelsea Piers Athletic Club in Stamford. 

"When the season's over we're going to review everything, every city, every venue that we're in and we're going to try to improve," said PWHL advisory board member Stan Kasten referencing the situation with PWHL New York. "We're aware of the New York situation, it wasn't ideal this year, we'll see what ways we can improve the situation."

Along with Total Mortgage Arena, PWHL New York also played at UBS Arena in Elmont on Long Island, and at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The team had no home, and fans also had no way to consistently follow their team without travelling hours for "home" games. The result was low attendance, and the weakest fan base in the league.

It's a point that will be high on the PWHL's offseason priority list to resolve.

"That's certainly one of the things we're going to spend a lot of time looking at," said Kasten.