The PWHL's Seattle Torrent broke both the all-time professional, and overall women's hockey attendance records for a game in the United States breaking the American record set last year in Detroit.
It took exactly one game for the Seattle Torrent to re-write the record books for what is possible for women's hockey players in the United States of America.
Seattle broke the all-time professional women's hockey attendance record, and also the all-time overall women's hockey American attendance mark at their home opener drawing 16,014. It's also the largest ever PWHL attendance at a home venue.
Prior to the home opener, Seattle and Team USA captain Hilary Knight spoke on the crowd she'd experienced as a member of USA's national team at Climate Pledge Arena and her expectations for the Torrent's home opener.
“Definitely louder at Climate Pledge," said Knight. "Relying on our fans to show up and show out for us. We’re really looking forward to playing at home and having our home opener. That building, I've had the opportunity to play in it twice now, and I can't hear a thing down there.”
Last season the American professional women's hockey attendance record was broken twice, first in Denver, then in Detroit. It was Detroit's second straight season setting a new attendance record for pro women's hockey in the United States drawing 14,288 to the PWHL Takeover Tour stop in March.
Prior to Friday's PWHL home opener for the Seattle Torrent, Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena already held the record for a national women’s hockey game from 2022 when the rink saw 14,551 fans in attendance for a Rivalry Series game between the United States and Canada.
Although there are many PWHL Takeover Tour stops in the United States this season including in Dallas, Chicago, Detroit, Denver, and Washington, it's unlikely any location will top Seattle's current mark based on early ticket sales.
