The Premier Hockey Federation has announced that their Board of Governors has committed to investing over $25MM in direct payments and benefits over the next three years, the largest one-time independent investment in the history of professional women’s hockey. The investment will lead to a huge, 150 percent increase in the league’s salary cap for the 2022-23 season, up to $750K from $300K. The PHF, formerly the NWHL, is the leading women’s professional league in North America and consists of six independently-owned franchises.
PHF commissioner Tyler Tumminia released the following statement:
The PHF has been steadfast in its vision to grow the game under a new era that truly provides leading opportunities for athletes in the sport who deserve to be treated as professionals. This amazing investment by ownership reaffirms the strength of their commitment to being difference-makers who advance the professional game so that our athletes can thrive as role models who continue to inspire the next generation.
The investment, which will also include full healthcare benefits and equity in teams, follows a successful few months for the league. In October, the league announced a landmark deal with ESPN+ as its exclusive U.S. broadcast partner for this season. In December, they announced a partnership with Upper Deck to produce the first-ever series of trading cards for professional women’s hockey. Earlier this month an agreement was announced with Warrior as the league’s new equipment provider.
This new investment also comes with the expectation of expansion. According to John Wawrow of the Associated Press, the league is moving forward with plans for two expansion clubs; one in Montreal and the other in an undisclosed U.S. location. It will also increase the schedule to 28 games for each team next season.
Where are they getting the income to increase these wages so much? Their games aren’t on TV much aside from playoffs so their TV contract is minimal and no fans in majority of stands. And the few that are allowed to have fans are probably not drawing enough to profit either.
The ESPN deal must be fairly decent for the size of the league. The UFC barely had any events with fans last year and they still put out record revenues in 2021 due to their deal with ESPN.
Stephen Abootman
I wonder if the growth of the ONLY remaining professional women’s hockey league, in terms of expansion, increase in salary cap and addition of benefits has caused the large group of women on the “Dream Gap Tour” to rethink their strategy and refusing to play and instead whining until someone gives them money?
Instead of trying to grow the sport as the PHF (should have stuck with NWHL, though…Premier Hockey Federation sounds like a second tier Russian league) has tried to do, they want to wait around until Gary Bettman builds a league for them.
It’s genuinely pathetic.