Commissioner Amy Scheer announced that the PWHL will welcome its twelfth franchise in San Jose, California, marking its first entry into the state and doubling its size since the league’s inception in June 2023.
Geographic Expansion
The expansion follows a two‑year growth spurt that began after the league’s inception in June 2023, when the PWHL doubled its membership by welcoming clubs in Detroit, Las Vegas and Hamilton. League executive Jonathan Becher said the new market leverages San Jose’s population of roughly 7.6 million and its ranking as the sixth‑largest participant in girls’ hockey nationwide.
The San Jose franchise will play at the SAP Center, home of the NHL’s Sharks, and will become the third major women’s professional sports team in the Bay Area alongside Bay FC of the National Women’s Soccer League and the Golden State Valkyries of the WNBA.
Financing and Broadcast Strategy
The Walter‑Kimbra ownership group is privately financing the league, with billionaire Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter and his wife Kimbra at the helm, while league executive Amy Scheer highlighted the upcoming draft that could feature up to five collegiate players who captured Olympic gold earlier this year, including forward Caroline Harvey.
Scripps Sports is widely regarded as the front‑runner to carry the PWHL’s games onto a national platform, a development that would dramatically reduce travel burdens for teams and broaden the league’s audience.
Beyond the Bay Area, the PWHL’s original six markets — Boston, New York, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Minnesota — remain the backbone of the league, but the addition of San Jose, Detroit, Las Vegas and Hamilton reshapes the competitive landscape and promises new rivalries.
The league aims to secure a national broadcast partner to further reduce travel time for franchises and solidify its place in the U.S. sports ecosystem.