PWHL expected to announce Vancouver expansion team next week
A source confirmed earlier this week that the Professional Women's Hockey League would soon be announcing a Vancouver team, likely to play at the Pacific Coliseum.
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A “major press conference related to a historic announcement in sport for Vancouver and British Columbia” scheduled for next Wednesday is about pro women’s hockey returning to Vancouver, Postmedia News has learned.
A source confirmed earlier this week that the Professional Women’s Hockey League would soon be announcing an expansion team in Vancouver, likely to play at the Pacific Coliseum.
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Next Wednesday’s event, announced by PR firm LBMG on Thursday, is being held at a newer downtown Vancouver office building called The Stack. The Stack’s address is 1133 Melville St.
The PWHL’s Canadian business address listed in the terms and conditions for a fan contest connected to this past season’s Takeover Tour, which brought PWHL games to markets not currently served by the league, including Vancouver, was at 1133 Melville St.
Vancouver had a pro women’s team two decades ago called the Vancouver Griffins. Their run in the National Women’s Hockey League lasted just a couple of seasons.
The Takeover Tour game played at Rogers Arena in January between the Toronto Sceptres and the Montreal Victoire drew 19,038 fans, a larger crowd than any Canucks game this season.
PWHL teams are owned by the league itself, with Mark Walter, who also owns the Los Angeles Dodgers, the league’s sole investor. There has been some talk that the PWHL might bring in some outside investors, but there is no word if that’s the case here.
The fact the team will not be based at Rogers Arena suggests that the Aquilinis, owners of the Canucks, will not be involved with the expansion team.
It’s expected that a PWHL expansion team for Seattle will also be announced in short order.
The PWHL currently has six teams: Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Minnesota, Boston and New York.
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