The PWHL Takeover Tour is a series of neutral siteregular season games organized by the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) to expand the league's reach beyond its home markets across North America. The tour brings PWHL games to cities that do not have a permanent league franchise, allowing fans in new markets to experience professional women's ice hockey while the league evaluates potential expansion locations.[1]
The Takeover Tour features regular-season PWHL games played at neutral-site venues, primarily at arenas that serve as home venues for National Hockey League (NHL) teams.[2] The initiative serves multiple purposes: growing the sport's fanbase, testing potential expansion markets, and providing players with opportunities to showcase their talent in new cities across the United States and Canada.[1]
According to PWHL Executive Vice President of Business Operations Amy Scheer, "The PWHL Takeover Tour lets us showcase our game and exceptional athletes across a wider North American footprint—an exciting moment for our players and an important move for our business as we consider expansion."[2]
History
2024–25 season (inaugural tour)
The first PWHL Takeover Tour was announced on November 18, 2024, and launched on January 5, 2025.[1] The inaugural tour consisted of nine neutral-site games held over 84 days, concluding in March 2025.[3]
Locations and attendance
The 2024–25 tour visited nine cities across North America:[4]
Detroit's Little Caesars Arena was the only venue to host a second neutral-site PWHL game, having previously hosted a game on March 16, 2024, that drew a then-U.S. professional women's hockey attendance record of 13,736 fans.[1]
Impact and records
The inaugural tour attracted 123,601 total fans across nine games and set multiple records:[4][6]
Two U.S. professional women's hockey attendance records: 14,018 in Denver, followed by 14,288 in Detroit[4][7]
Five of the nine games ranked among the top 10 single-game attendance figures in PWHL history[4][6]
The Vancouver game (19,038 fans) ranked fourth all-time in PWHL attendance[6]
An estimated 80% of attendees experienced their first-ever PWHL game[4][6]
Fans from all 50 U.S. states and all 13 Canadian provinces and territories attended games on the tour[4][6]
Social media engagement led to a 30% increase in league-wide followers during the tour window[4]
27 standings points were awarded across nine games (six regulation wins, two shootout results, one overtime decision)
30 different PWHL players scored 41 goals
Five of nine games were decided by one goal
945 girls' hockey players participated in clinics and meet-and-greets with PWHL athletes
Over 1,400 fans collected autographs during post-game signings and community events
More than 16,000 pieces of PWHL merchandise were purchased at venues
Players consumed 648 Uncrustables, 864 applesauce pouches, 1,080 packs of gummy snacks, and 1,296 bottles of Gatorade
2025–26 season
Following the success of the inaugural tour, the PWHL announced on November 10, 2025, that the Takeover Tour would expand significantly for the 2025–26 season.[6]
With the PWHL's expansion to eight teams (adding Seattle and Vancouver as permanent franchises), all eight teams participate in at least three Takeover Tour games during the 2025–26 season:[6]
The expansion was covered extensively in Canadian media, with TSN reporting that the tour would make its regular-season debut in the four new Canadian cities.[8]
Sponsorships
The 2025–26 tour includes multiple presenting partnerships:[6]
DoorDash serves as title partner for eight Canadian tour stops (Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Hamilton, Québec City, and Winnipeg)
Province of Nova Scotia presents the December 17 Halifax game
Broadcast coverage
All PWHL Takeover Tour games in the United States air on over-the-air broadcast partners in each host market, including TEGNA in Denver, Scripps Sports in Detroit, and FOX-owned stations in Chicago, Dallas, and Washington, D.C.[9]
Purpose and objectives
According to PWHL Executive Vice President of Business Operations Amy Scheer, the Takeover Tour serves several strategic purposes:[6][7]
Market testing: The tour allows the league to evaluate potential expansion markets by assessing fan support, venue suitability, government support, and impact on team travel logistics
Fan development: Bringing games to new cities creates opportunities for fans who cannot easily travel to existing PWHL markets
League growth: The tour increases the league's visibility and expands its geographic footprint
Player exposure: Athletes gain experience playing in different venues and before diverse audiences
PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Jayna Hefford stated that the tour has been "one of the most rewarding initiatives since our inception—for our fans, our athletes, and our staff."[4]
Format
Takeover Tour games are official PWHL regular-season contests that count toward team standings. Two of the neutral-site games are designated as home games for participating teams.[6] The games follow standard PWHL rules and scoring systems.
Host venues are selected based on multiple criteria, including existing hockey infrastructure and fan support for women's sports, proximity to NHL teams and facilities, government support and local partnerships, and impact on team travel logistics.[7]
Legacy and expansion
The success of the Takeover Tour has influenced the PWHL's expansion strategy. Prior to announcing Seattle and Vancouver as the league's first two expansion teams in April 2025, the inaugural tour had tested markets in both cities with strong results—particularly the sold-out Vancouver game that drew over 19,000 fans.[6] Both cities joined the league as permanent franchises for the 2025–26 season.[10]
PWHL officials have stated that the tour demonstrates the strong demand for professional women's hockey across North America and provides valuable data for future expansion decisions. Scheer noted that the league has "proven that time is overrated" regarding the pace of expansion, emphasizing that growth and profitability are interconnected objectives.[7] At an Ottawa City Council meeting, Scheer stated: "We're going to expand at least two to four teams next year... We are in growth mode, and this league is exploding."[7]
The rising interest in the PWHL extends beyond its current cities, evidenced by a new single-day ticket sales record during the 2025–26 PWHL Takeover Tour presales, surpassing the previous benchmark by more than 55 percent.[11]
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United States, 
Canada