Hockey

PWHL shows strong Takeover Tour attendance despite YoY dips

We’re six stops into the PWHL’s third Takeover Tour, which expanded significantly this year in terms of length, number of stops, and brand partners. While Canadian tour stops are pulling more fans than U.S. ones, the tour is proving successful in every city when it comes to attendance.

January 06, 2026

PWHL doubles down on Takeover Tour strategy as sponsors finally seize the opportunity

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Last week, the PWHL announced the return of the Takeover Tour — which brings PWHL games to other markets — for a third season. And the next edition is bigger and better: The league will host 16 neutral-site games and visit seven new cities while returning to multiple stops from last year.

November 20, 2025

A recap of the PWHL’s second season by the numbers

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Just like the PWHL’s inaugural season, the league’s sophomore campaign was chock-full of successes — on and off the ice. Let’s take a closer look at the numbers.

June 09, 2025

PWHL shares Takeover Tour wins that prove women’s sports should activate out-of-market

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The PWHL shared wins from its first-ever Takeover Tour today, which saw all six teams play games at nine different exhibition sites across the U.S. and Canada. Not only was this a brilliant strategy to market test in potential PWHL cities, but the tour spurred engagement and allowed the league to reach new hockey fans.

April 11, 2025

PWHL and Greenfly partnership illustrates marketing opportunity in tunnel walks

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Since the beginning, the PWHL has been intentional in its development, from signing a CBA before the puck dropped to nabbing early broadcast and founding partners. One of those decisions — a deal with software company Greenfly — has provided insight into how athlete engagement behaviors can shape sponsorship, especially amid the growth opportunity of tunnel walks.

April 09, 2025

PWHL sees attendance growth in Canadian and neutral site games

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A new report from Front Office Sports revealed that PWHL attendance has risen about 30% thus far compared to last year’s average, but the gains aren’t being felt everywhere. While neutral site and Canadian games have drawn higher-than-average crowds, U.S. attendance remains flat YoY, which could have ramifications on the PWHL’s expansion plans south of the border.

January 27, 2025

PWHL Takeover Tour could offer brands similar opportunities to the WNBA’s Canadian games

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As discussed on yesterday’s episode of The GIST of It, the PWHL’s nine-city Takeover Tour is only three stops in, but there’s already plenty of discussion on where the league will establish its first two expansion franchises later this year.

January 15, 2025

PWHL partners with three new brands in Canada as league offers unique cross-border access

Sports Business

PWHL partners with three new brands in Canada as league offers unique cross-border access

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December 13, 2024

Hockey is huge in Canada, so naturally, the PWHL’s popularity is growing fast among Canadian fans and sponsors. After tipping off its second season with nearly 50 corporate partnerships, the league inked three more Canadian-based deals this week, demonstrating its interest in reaching women’s sports fans on both sides of the border.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #520

Banned for accepting tuition money: Diving into the complicated NCAA sports landscape

January 06, 2026

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Banned for accepting tuition money: Diving into the complicated NCAA sports landscape

The college sports landscape is a wonky place.

And that’s an understatement. Between NIL rules, the transfer portal, and constantly changing eligibility requirements, it’s tough to keep up with what is and isn’t allowed.

That’s why we’re taking today’s episode of The GIST of It to directly compare two college athletes: Baylor men’s basketball center James Nnaji and Augsburg University runner Mohammed Bati. Nnaji was drafted to the NBA in 2023 but is now competing as a college athlete, while Bati has been banned from competing after accepting $6K in donations to pay his tuition. Make it make sense.