Could Detroit be getting a PWHL team? What we know ahead of big Ilitch announcement

DETROIT (FOX 2) – A big announcement is anticipated tomorrow in detroitand indicators counsel it might be the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) lastly coming to town.

Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and metropolis officers will maintain a press convention Wednesday morning to make “an exciting announcement.”

The backstory:

Rumors have been swirling for months that Detroit is one of a number of cities favored to get a PWHL staff on this 12 months’s enlargement. In late March, following a successful Takeover Tour gameDetroit Red Wings co-owner Denise Ilitch mentioned she expected the city to get a team.

“As you know, women’s hockey is exploding, and we have a Professional Women’s Hockey League which is unbelievable,” she mentioned on her podcast. “And I believe we’ll be getting a team in Detroit soon, which really excites me.”

The PWHL consists of eight groups that play a number of video games in cities that do not have groups. These video games, referred to as the Takeover Tour, began in two cities throughout the 2023-24 season and expanded to 11 cities this season.

Fans in Detroit have constantly proven up for the league, which has hosted 4 video games within the metropolis for the reason that league began in 2023. This season, two PWHL video games have been held in Detroit. Both video games have been double headers with the Red Wings, which some followers speculated was to check the feasibility of including one other skilled sports activities staff to Little Caesars Arena.

Hopes have been excessive in Detroit final 12 months when the league introduced it was increasing, nevertheless it as an alternative expanded to Vancouver and Seattle.

Despite being handed over within the first spherical of enlargement, followers proceed to push for a staff in Detroit and present how a lot town desires that. Saturday’s sport featured greater than a handful of indicators demanding Detroit will get a PWHL staff.

When Vancouver’s team was announced Last 12 months, Amy Scheer, the chief vp of enterprise operations, mentioned the league had a several-year enlargement plan.

“For all of the cities that expressed interest, if you’re not chosen for this year, it doesn’t mean you won’t be chosen,” Scheer mentioned final April.

Dig deeper:

PWHL followers have been ready for this 12 months’s enlargement announcement because the league rides the excessive of elevated recognition following the US girls’s Olympic gold medal win.

The league is presently within the playoffs, with the Montreal Victoire, Minnesota Frost, Boston Fleet, and Ottawa Charge all vying for the Walter Cup.

What’s subsequent:

While nothing is confirmed about Wednesday’s press convention, all indicators level to it being a good likelihood it would be the league’s first enlargement announcement of the 12 months.

FOX 2 plans to stream the press convention stay at 10 am Wednesday, so verify again tomorrow to search out out extra.