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On Wednesday, a representative from the PWHL indicated that productive discussions have taken place regarding a potential collaboration with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, aiming to establish a permanent presence for its women’s hockey team in Canada’s capital.
Amy Scheer, senior VP of business operations for the PWHL, informed The Associated Press that these talks center on the Ottawa Charge hosting matches at the Senators’ venue, the Canadian Tire Centre. The Charge’s continued presence in Ottawa past the current season is in doubt because municipal renovations will decrease the seating capacity of their present home by roughly 2,000.
During a video conference, Scheer commented, “We still have significant progress to make in determining our standing for Ottawa’s future, but the association with the Senators has flourished.”
She described Cyril Leeder, the Senators’ president and CEO, as “an exceptional collaborator.” Last month, Scheer and other league executives also had a meeting with Senators owner Michael Andlauer during their attendance at the women’s competition at the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
A cooperative arrangement between the PWHL and the Senators is already in place, with the Charge set to compete against Montreal at the Canadian Tire Centre on April 3.
Scheer stated, “Tickets for the match are selling extremely well, so we hope this marks the beginning of a truly promising path for us.”
An immediate response to a request for commentary from the Senators was not received.
The Charge were among the inaugural six franchises of the PWHL and have spent their initial three seasons competing at TD Place, a centrally situated venue in the city that also hosts the Ottawa 67s of the Ontario Hockey League. This older venue can accommodate approximately 8,500 spectators for hockey; however, upcoming renovations will decrease seating to around 5,700, supplemented by 900 standing-room positions.
The PWHL indicated that the reductions render it economically impractical to remain at the facility. Over their first two seasons, the Charge typically drew approximately 7,000 attendees per game, a figure that climbed to 7,225 during the team’s initial nine home matchups this year.
In November, Scheer had previously mentioned that the league was considering every alternative, including potential relocation. “We will not regress,” she affirmed.
This season, the PWHL expanded its roster to eight teams, and plans are currently being developed to incorporate an additional 2 to 4 teams for the upcoming season.
The Senators’ primary playing venue is situated approximately a 40-minute drive from the city center. Nevertheless, the organization is currently in the preliminary stages of conceptualizing a new facility to be built nearer to the downtown area.
