Breaking the Ice: The Rise of Women’s Hockey and the Fight for Recognition

Throughout its history, women’s hockey has struggled for visibility and financial backing. Despite recent growth with the upcoming Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), sponsorship and media coverage still lag behind. However, recent developments in the media suggest a shift towards greatness in viewership. The real question is, is women's hockey finally receiving the recognition it deserves?

Sponsorship plays a huge role in elevating a sport’s profile. In the past, women’s hockey has struggled to partner with huge brands and sponsors which results in a decrease in team funding and player salary. For example, in 2021, it was found that,

“In the United States of America nearly 40% of athletes are female, but they only receive 2%-4% of media coverage.”

• Rena Afami, APC Sports

However, since the creation of the Professional Women’s Hockey League sponsorship and recognition have grown. More and more brands are starting to recognize the talent of these athletes. Huge brands like Bauer, Scotiabank, Adidas, and more have started deals with teams and players and have further increased their support for women’s hockey. Along with this, women’s hockey has become easier for people to watch. More female games are aired on networks and streaming platforms such as MSG, NESN (New England Sports Network), TSN, and YouTube. YouTube has played a significant role in the viewership of the PWHL as it has increased views by a ton, receiving over 40 million views by the end of its inaugural season.

Even though we have seen a significant increase in the fan interest of women’s hockey, these teams and players are still facing certain challenges. Players are receiving unfair salaries due to the lack of media coverage. There is a huge difference between the pay of a professional men's player, a professional women's player, and even the US national salary;

Avg. NHL Player Annual Salary According to ziprecruiter.com	Avg. PWHL Player Annual Salary According to playhockeyineurope.com	National Avg. Salary According to sofi.com
$123,905 / Year	$56,500 / Year	$63,795 / Year

An average PWHL player makes up about 45% of what an average NHL player makes. The reasoning behind this is that the NHL has been around way longer than the PWHL and has had more time to brand themselves and build up the fan base they have today. However, these female players are making less than the national average salary in the United States. A reason for this could be because of the audience. For the PWHL to climb the ladder towards a higher paying salary, they need to grow their media representation, sponsorships, and even fan engagement. The more fans of the game, the more views and recognition it will bring in.

The PWHL is very similar to the WNBA in its current situation. At the beginning of the WNBA, they had a strong and loyal fanbase for their first few seasons. However, after that, they had a huge downfall and were practically on life support. They were losing millions of dollars, fanbases, and views. Moreover, the WNBA is in the same boat as PWHL, regarding their salaries. Teams had very little money, which then decreased player salaries.

2012 WNBA Average Salary	2024 WNBA Average Salary
$72,000 / Year	$140,000 / Year

It was found in 2012, that the average salary was $72,000 per year, with rookies making at least $35,000. Today, the average salary of a WNBA player is around $130,000, thus showing the improvement that the league has accomplished. Since the 2024 WNBA draft, they have also seen a huge increase in their audience which is mainly because of the Caitlin Clark effect. She has had a huge impact on the future of the WNBA and has helped increase the popularity and interest of the league. The PWHL does have some very popular and well-known players such as Sarah Nurse, Marie-Philip Poulin, and Hilary Knight. However, for them to gain more views and attention, they need to find their new star player who will create headlines for the league and keep them up and running.

With their current increase in media visibility and growing fan base, women’s hockey is on its way toward higher pay and the recognition that they deserve in the media. However, their journey is not over. If they continue to work with big-name brands, and sponsorships, and create a name for themselves then they will start to get the recognition that these women deserve.