With the Professional Women’s Hockey League set to play a regular-season game at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Sunday, now is a good time to evaluate Seattle’s viability as a location for an expansion team. Key factors to consider include the availability of a team, a suitable arena, and a willing ownership group.
Key requirement #1: An available team
In the fall, the PWHL announced plans to expand by adding two new teams for the 2025–26 season. This presents an opportunity for Seattle to be considered as a viable market. However, the league’s current footprint is predominantly regional, with its westernmost team located in St. Paul, Minnesota. Expanding to Seattle would introduce added costs and logistical complexities, including increased travel expenses and scheduling challenges.
Despite these hurdles, a western expansion appears inevitable if the PWHL aims for national representation and sustained growth. A comparable precedent is the American Hockey League’s 2015 relocation of five teams to California, marking the league’s first western presence. This move was strategically aligned with NHL Pacific Division teams for proximity to parent organizations, demonstrating how logistical challenges can be mitigated with proper planning.
For the PWHL, team locations are not tied to NHL affiliations, offering greater flexibility in placing teams where they are most viable. This opens the door for Seattle and other cities in the western U.S. and Canada.
A phased expansion approach could also be considered, gradually extending westward from the current league footprint. Calgary, Alberta, emerges as a strong candidate due to its history of hosting professional women’s hockey, abundance of arenas, and passionate hockey fanbase. Denver is another city generating interest, evidenced by its inclusion in the PWHL’s Takeover Tour. Female hockey participation data further highlights Denver’s potential, with approximately 3,400 registered female players compared to Washington’s 2,100. Vancouver, British Columbia, also merits consideration, offering a location with fewer logistical challenges compared to Seattle.
Seattle’s inclusion in a western expansion would require overcoming logistical hurdles but could set a precedent for future league growth into untapped markets.
Key requirement #2: A suitable arena
Identifying a suitable arena is one of the more complex challenges for establishing a PWHL team in Seattle. The league’s existing venues vary widely in size and usage, with no clear standard. For example, two of the three U.S.-based PWHL teams play in NHL arenas, operating at 20–40 percent of capacity, while the Canadian teams share facilities with AHL or major junior hockey teams, averaging approximately 8,000 fans per game. Based on these trends and the history of professional women’s hockey, an ideal venue would seat between 5,000 and 10,000 fans.
While Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena could host a PWHL team, its 17,151-seat capacity would likely lead to low occupancy rates, potentially dampening the game-day atmosphere and fan experience. Additionally, with the anticipated return of the NBA’s Seattle SuperSonics, scheduling conflicts might limit Climate Pledge Arena’s availability for another professional team.
Alternative venues include Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett (capacity: 8,149) and accesso ShoWare Center in Kent (capacity: 7,141). Both align closely with the PWHL’s preferred arena size, but their distance from Seattle’s population core could pose challenges for attracting consistent fan attendance.
On the surface, Seattle has existing venues capable of hosting a team, but none feel like a perfect long-term solution. One potential pathway could involve using one of these secondary arenas for a few seasons while planning for a new, purpose-built facility in Bellevue or North Seattle. However, constructing a new arena is a complex, time-consuming process requiring significant financial and political investment, making it an unlikely short-term solution.
Key requirement #3: A willing ownership group
The most elusive aspect of establishing a PWHL franchise in Seattle may be identifying a committed ownership group. Ownership in professional sports often requires significant due diligence, with prospective investors evaluating financial models, market conditions, and long-term prospects before publicly expressing interest.
It is reasonable to assume that potential owners are already analyzing what it would take to bring a PWHL team to Seattle, factoring in the time, capital, and effort required to build a successful franchise. Like many business ventures, owning a sports franchise demands significant upfront investment with uncertain short-term returns. Success typically comes from patient, methodical owners willing to invest in the team’s development and long-term growth.
One advantage of a PWHL franchise is its relatively lower cost compared to an NHL team, reducing financial barriers and increasing the pool of potential investors. However, any ownership group must consider the complexities of establishing a sustainable business model, including addressing the challenge of securing a long-term arena solution. While the initial years might see the team playing in existing venues, a purpose-built arena could become essential for sustained success.
Current challenges exist
Seattle appears to be a promising market for a PWHL team, especially given the success of other professional women’s sports teams in the city, such as the Seattle Storm (WNBA) and OL Reign (NWSL). These teams have demonstrated the community’s enthusiasm for women’s sports and its ability to rally around professional franchises. The excitement surrounding Sunday’s game between the Montreal Victoire and Boston Fleet further underscores the potential fan interest in women’s hockey in Seattle.
However, significant challenges remain. Seattle’s geographic isolation from the current PWHL footprint presents logistical and financial hurdles, such as increased travel costs and scheduling complexities. Additionally, while the city has viable venues, none currently provide an ideal long-term solution. The absence of a mid-sized, centrally located arena tailored to PWHL needs could complicate efforts to establish a sustainable franchise.
While Seattle is likely to be a strong candidate for a PWHL expansion team in the future, these challenges suggest it might be better suited for a later expansion round. Addressing the logistical and infrastructure issues will be critical to ensuring the success of a potential franchise in this market.