The PWHL will expand to Vancouver, British Columbia. The league officially announced expansion alongside stakeholders Wednesday afternoon. 

Playing their inaugural season in 2024, the PWHL is about to complete their second season having already smashed attendance records from year one. 

In year two the PWHL has drawn 593,567 fans, more than 200,000 greater than their season one attendance of 392,259. 

This year, 19,038 of those fans attended the PWHL Takeover Tour stop at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, the largest attended hockey game at the venue this season, a number that also includes the NHL's Vancouver Canucks. It was also the most attended game on the PWHL's Takeover Tour this season.

The PWHL's newest franchise in Vancouver will play at the Pacific Coliseum where the team will be the primary tenant of the venue, a luxury no other PWHL team has. The Pacific Coliseum, built in 1968, was the original home to the NHL's Vancouver Canucks. It currently seats around 16,000 fans for hockey. 

Another Franchise Coming To Seattle?

While today's announcement focused in on Vancouver, giving the PWHL their fourth Canadian franchise, the league also has plans to add another team imminently. That franchise is believed to be headed to Seattle, Washington.

The two cities are only 143 miles, or 230 kilometers apart making them easy geographic rivals, as well as easing the burden of travel for visiting teams who can play both teams on road trips. 

No Excuses Left For Broadcasting

Vancouver (and Seattle) give the league a presence in the Pacific time zone. It allows for late games in the broadcasting schedule coupled with Minnesota in the Central and the remainder of the league's teams playing in the Eastern time zone.  When PWHL executive vice president of business operations discussed broadcasting earlier this season, she stated that some broadcasting partners wanted the league to expand beyond their current markets, which the league has now done. 

"There are some national partners that would be willing to carry our games today, and I think there are some national partners that feel we need to grow beyond the current markets that we're in," said Scheer.