PHF EXTENDS EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS AGREEMENT WITH ESPN

Two-year agreement with ESPN includes regular season games, special events, and Isobel Cup Playoffs streaming live, exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+; Internationally, TSN to provide live coverage to Canadian viewers

BOSTON, MA – (August 24, 2022) – The Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) announced today that ESPN will continue to be the exclusive home of the PHF in the United States for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. The two-year agreement with ESPN features live coverage of the PHF regular season, special events, and the Isobel Cup Playoffs in the U.S. streaming live on ESPN+, and provides international rights for games which includes TSN in Canada.

“ESPN’s continued commitment to champion the PHF and be teammates to make women’s professional hockey accessible to more fans, worldwide, is a victory for our sport and the entire PHF community. Their support bolsters the PHF mission of growing the game long-term and building the best, and most sustainable home for women’s professional hockey,” said Reagan Carey, PHF Commissioner. “Extending our valued relationship with ESPN over the next two years ensures we can showcase talented athletes and competitive action on the ice, share incredible stories off the ice, provide our partners with a platform to connect with fans, and engage our dedicated fan base while introducing the PHF to a larger worldwide audience.”

The pinnacle of the first-year agreement during the 2021-22 season was the championship final between the Boston Pride and Connecticut Whale that aired live on ESPN2 and was the network’s first linear broadcast of professional women’s hockey.

“We are excited to align with the PHF in support of growing the game and providing greater access to watching this first-class league,” said Patrick Costello, Director of Digital Media Programming, ESPN. “As we track the growth of women’s hockey around the world, we are energized by the significant advancements made by the PHF since our relationship began last season, and the exceptional growth on the horizon.”

In Canada, live coverage of the PHF is available to TSN subscribers through the network’s five television feeds as well as live streaming via TSN.ca and the TSN app. PHF games that are part of the ESPN International distribution network may be available in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa via ESPN Player, in Latin America via Star+, the Caribbean through ESPN Player via the ESPN App, and Oceania through Watch ESPN via the ESPN App.

The 2022-23 season will be the eighth for the PHF, North America’s only professional women’s hockey league. Among the highlights for the upcoming campaign is the debut of the league’s seventh team in Montreal, Quebec and a player experience that has been enhanced by a record salary cap of $750,000 per team. The entire regular season schedule will be announced at a later date.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.8 million subscribers.

Fans can sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com, or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

About the Premier Hockey Federation
The PHF is the home of professional women’s hockey in North America. Established in 2015 as the National Women’s Hockey League, the NWHL rebranded to become the PHF in 2021 and provide opportunities for elite athletes to earn a living playing the game they love while fueling the continued growth of the sport. The league is made up of the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters, Minnesota Whitecaps, Montreal, and the Toronto Six who all compete annually for the Isobel Cup. For more information visit premierhockeyfederation.com.