MINNEAPOLIS — Women’s pro hockey in the United States will continue having a broadcast home on ESPN+ after the Premier Hockey Federation announced a two-year contract extension with the streaming service on Wednesday.
ESPN+ will provide live coverage of PHF regular-season games, special events, and the Isobel Cup playoffs. The deal comes a season after the two first formed a partnership in which the PHF’s championship game aired live on ESPN2.
The league's commissioner, Reagan Carrey, said in a press release that ESPN continues to help make the league more accessible to fans worldwide and is a huge win for the game and its supporters.
"Their support bolsters the PHF mission of growing the game long-term and building the best, and most sustainable home for women’s professional hockey,” Carey said. “Extending our valued relationship with ESPN over the next two years ensures we can showcase talented athletes and competitive action on the ice, share incredible stories off the ice, provide our partners with a platform to connect with fans, and engage our dedicated fan base while introducing the PHF to a larger worldwide audience.”
Entering its eighth season as North America’s only women’s professional hockey league, the PHF includes the Minnesota Whitecaps, who recently announced a move from the Minnesota Wild's practice rink to Richfield as their new home. The league is expanding to seven teams in 2022 by adding a franchise in Montreal. The league also has teams based in Boston; Newark, New Jersey; Milford, Connecticut; Buffalo, New York and Toronto.
Last season, the PHF's Isobel Cup Final was broadcast on ESPN2, which was the network's first-ever linear broadcast of a women's hockey game, according to the league.
ESPN's director of digital media programming said they're excited to work with the PHF to grow the game.
"As we track the growth of women’s hockey around the world, we are energized by the significant advancements made by the PHF since our relationship began last season, and the exceptional growth on the horizon," Patrick Costello said in a press release.
In Canada, the PHF has a broadcasting agreement with TSN.
Watch more of Minnesota sports:
Watch the latest sports videos - from high school hockey to the Minnesota Vikings and everything in between - in our YouTube playlist:
