CWHL: Growth Of Game Essential For Success
CWHL Commissioner Doesn’t Deny Expansion Talks with NWHL
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Canadian Women’s Hockey League commissioner Brenda Andress’s goal has always been to grow women’s hockey, and it appears that expanding the league is not off the table.
“The CWHL board put together an expansion committee a couple of years ago,” said Andress. “We took a look at grassroots program. We want to make sure that the game continues to grow. Today was about showcasing the best of women’s hockey and you want to be able to provide that in every single game so that every time a fan comes, they see this level.”
Andress addressed a large throng of reporters before puck drop between the Calgary Inferno and the Montreal Canadiennes on Sunday afternoon at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa.
Talk of expansion was further fuelled by a mysterious tweet by the rival National Women’s Hockey League following the presentation of their championship game last night.
Mike Murphy, a beat reporter covering the NWHL’s New York Riveters tweeted the following along with a picture of a map pin pointing NWHL teams and Canadian flags over Toronto and Montreal on March 12:
!!!HUGE NEWS teased on the
NWHL</a> broadcast: Looks like the league has plans for expansion. 2 Canadian teams. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NWHL?src=hash">#NWHL</a> <a href="https://t.co/yUkCO1YJat">pic.twitter.com/yUkCO1YJat</a></p>— Mike Murphy (DigDeepBSB) March 13, 2016
Commissioner Andress was quick to deflect attention from the story and onto the championship game itself.
“It was a very strategic move on their part,” Andress noted. “However, today’s game is all about our players and the phenomenal season we have had all year long. Today is about celebrating the 40 players on the ice who spend all year training and passionately trying to get here.”
Ultimately, Andress did admit that she believes in a one league system and that she is “open to discussions with the NWHL and always will be.”
Andress was content with the growth of the game over the course of the 2015/16 CWHL hockey season. She noted that all of the CWHL games and events, such as the All Star Game, broadcast on Sportsnet, garnered a viewing audience of over 100,000.
She also cites partnerships with four NHL franchises, the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Boston Bruins, as key to the success of her league.
She specifically noted initiatives taken by the Canadiens in the promotion of their partner team.
“Anybody who was in the Montreal rink to watch the Canadiennes playoff game (vs. the Toronto Furies in Brossard) saw Montreal Canadiens fans. On Twitter, the Montreal Canadiens tweeted out wishing their sister club lots of good stuff, as did owner Geoff Molson,” said Andress. “What better way to grow the game than to get the entire community involved. We want to continue down this path and continue to make history as we have always done.”
New revenue streams were also discussed as a means of not simply relying on one source of revenue for the entire league.
Players from both the Inferno and the Canadiennes also noticed the league’s growth, particularly when it came to the large attendance of 4,082 spectators, as well as the media attention given to the Clarkson Cup championship match itself.
“To see the sport grow and to see all those fans in the stands, it is a step in the right direction.” noted CWHL MVP and Canadiennes forward Marie-Philip Poulin.
“[The large crowd today] just shows how much the game has grown and how much support women’s hockey has gotten over the years,” said Inferno forward Blayre Turnbull. “It adds a bit more excitement to the game.”
Women’s hockey legend Hayley Wickenheiser was also optimistic about the road ahead for the CWHL and offered suggestions on ways the league can continue to grow.
“I do see a future,” Wickenheiser said. “There are a couple key things that have to happen. We need more television coverage beyond just one game. We need the NHL to step up and be a little bit more invested in this league and in the women’s game. Maybe next year we will be able to double the attendance here in Ottawa and get some more promotion.”
