To make myself clear, I’m not not excited about the Professional Women’s Hockey League
(PWHL). In fact, it’s hard for me to criticize them because they promise a dream I’ve had for
years: a chance to see most of my favourite hockey players competing alongside each other in
one unified, legitimate league. After years of disappointment and leagues folding, it seems like
women’s hockey is finally headed in the right direction. They even have a team in Toronto,
which is stacked. So, I ask myself: why do I feel so bitter every time I open the PWHL Instagram
feed?
For some context, the PWHL was formed when the Professional Women’s Hockey Players
Association (PWHPA) bought out the existing women’s league, the Premiere Hockey Federation
(PHF). The PWHPA was primarily made up of Olympic female athletes who wanted to start their
own league to ensure that they received proper benefits and livable wages, things they didn’t
think the PHF offered. I’m a fan of players in both leagues, but it always bothered me how the
PWHPA members continuously belittled the PHF and its players. So, to find out that the PWHPA
were the ones that were ultimately behind the PHF folding was disappointing. Especially right
after a successful PHF season, with players signing contracts as little as three days before the
takeover.
60 days. It took 60 days from the acquisition of the PHF for the new PWHL to make any formal
announcement of its existence. Any buzz and momentum around the league had gone quiet
weeks before their first post. Even as someone who was actively searching for news about the
league, I found it extremely difficult to find anything. Instead of making a splash, they barely
made a ripple.
The league’s rollout continued to disappoint as they announced the inaugural season would only
consist of 24 games. It soon became clear that all six teams would play without unique names or
logos, simply being referred to by their city of origin. Even the league’s logo wasn’t revealed
until October, a month after their draft.
Then came the jerseys. They’re not good. There’s no sugar coating it. To me, the muted colours
and cookie cutter diagonal lettering doesn’t exactly give off the new, modern vibes that the
PWHPA was striving for just months prior. They’re especially bad when you consider all the
fantastic jerseys and branding from the PHF that they are replacing. Even worse, they aren’t
releasing any merchandise for fans to purchase during the holiday season, ultimately missing out
on a huge revenue generator. Branding is so important as it is the part of the team that fans can
bring into their own lives. This aspect is especially important in the context of a women’s league,
as this may be the first chance for women and girls to wear the jersey of a player who looks like
them. It’s hard to get excited about a league that has two out of their six teams wearing beige and
maroon.
In saying all of this, I do recognize that the PWHL made some fantastic advancements. Their
Collective Bargaining Agreement (basically the agreement between the players and the league) is
a work of art. It ensures that players are protected from both housing and food insecurity,
something that even the NHL doesn’t do. Also, the PWHL was under massive time constraints to
put this all together. The time span between the league’s formation and the first game is just over
six months. It’s extremely difficult to pull together professional and high-grade equipment in that
time frame.
Despite these advancements and understandable challenges, it still feels like these female players
are forced to settle for less than again. Yes, they are on the ice and getting paid to play, but why
are they doing so without a unique team name and logo on their chest? As the PWHPA said for
so many years: why don’t they deserve the absolute best?
As I said off the top, I’m not not excited about this season. I’m going to watch every game I
can. I’ll just be doing it with my mind filled with not-so-distant memories of the PHF and the
league that could have been.