Would you have believed, last month, that women’s hockey teams without name or logo would attract 8,300 people in Ottawa, 13,300 fans in Minnesota and that one of their games would be seen by nearly three million television viewers?
Me neither.
The enthusiasm for the new Professional Women’s Hockey League (LPHF) is phenomenal. Saturday, for the Montreal team’s first local match, the league recorded another full house. More than 3,200 fans filled the Verdun Auditorium. An involved, noisy, energetic crowd, reminiscent of those of the parties on American university campuses. Or those of the Carabins and Rouge et Or football matches. Even after the Bostonians’ winning goal, the fans stayed to applaud their favorites, and chant: “Montreal! Montreal! Montreal! » A scene that moved Marie-Philip Poulin.
“Does it exceed your expectations?” », asked a colleague.
” Yes. We wanted something big. Since it left, the 1er January, we see how people talk about it on TV and on social networks. THE [amateurs] are excited. We’ve been waiting for this moment for years. To see an environment like that… Honestly, I’ve never seen so many media in a room. » It still comes from an athlete who participated in four Olympic finals. ” It’s amazing. We’re starting something big. »
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
We were beating the rhythm at the Verdun Auditorium.
Already, an hour before the match, there was a carnival atmosphere in the arena. On the ground floor, percussionists welcomed the spectators. On the first floor, more than 300 people lined up to buy a sweater or a toque (without a logo!) in the colors of the Montreal team. It spilled over onto the stairs. The crowd was heterogeneous. There were French people. Anglos. Children. Grandparents. Fifty percent men. Fifty percent women. One group seemed to me to be present in greater numbers: young women aged 18 to 30.
In the stands, we also found the Canadian’s senior management team: Geoff Molson, France Margaret Bélanger, Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes, John Sedgwick, Geneviève Paquette.
“The atmosphere is really great,” Geoff Molson told me.
— Do you think this time is the right one for women’s hockey?
– Yes. They do things the right way. Before, there were two leagues. Now just one. The level of play will be higher. In the coming years, we will see a lot of improvement around the team, more involvement from the community and companies. […] In the background, we help them promote the sport. Their matches are announced. If we can help them find sponsors, we will do it. As the years go by, I hope we will become more and more involved. »
Part of the LPHF’s success is attributable to the novelty effect. But ticket sales for the Montreal team’s upcoming games suggest that Saturday’s full house will not be a unique case this season. This enthusiasm is also part of a broader movement of growth in women’s sport. Not just here. Around the world.
Deloitte predicts that elite women’s sport will generate revenues of US$1.3 billion this year. This is three times more than its forecasts three years ago.
Success stories are multiplying. In the United States, the WNBA’s revenues are now US$200 million. In England, Premier League soccer players earn on average $80,000, and up to $500,000 CAN. In India, five women’s cricket clubs were recently sold for half a billion dollars.
The good news for the LPHF is that its owners are rich. They can afford to be patient. Also, since the league is nascent, there is plenty of room for growth. Think about revenues from television broadcasting, ticketing, sports betting. Merchandise sales. For expansions, if the owners wish to welcome new shareholders.
The product on ice will of course have to be attractive. From what I’ve seen so far, he is. It’s the best thing after finals between the Canadians and the Americans.
All the best Olympians are here, without the massacres of 11-2, 12-1 and 15-0. The league will also allow the best Europeans to improve quickly, in contact with the best North Americans. The more parity there is on the international scene, the more sport will benefit. Moreover, at the world under-18 championship on Saturday, the Czechs beat the Canadians in the semi-final.
And then, we can hope that the creation of the LPHF contributes greatly to the popularity of hockey here. For decades, Quebec has produced many of the best players in the world. We were reminded of this on Saturday by paying tribute to Danielle Goyette, France St-Louis, Kim St-Pierre and Caroline Ouellette. Marie-Philip Poulin is already a legend of women’s hockey. Ann-Renée Desbiens, known as the Great Wall of Charlevoix, is considered the best goalkeeper in the world. However, among the youngest, the players of the next cohorts are not as dominant. This can be explained in particular by the low number of registrations. Quebec has fewer players per capita than the other most populous provinces.
REGISTRATIONS IN 2022-23
- Ontario: 45,768
- Alberta: 11,755
- British Columbia: 9,724
- Quebec: 7,608
- Saskatchewan: 6,555
- Manitoba: 5,842
Let us hope that the presence of an LPHF team in Montreal arouses interest among Quebecers who, I repeat, are the least active young girls in the country. “It warms my heart to be able to be a role model for these young girls,” commented Marie-Philip Poulin after the meeting. “But I didn’t just see little girls in the stands. There were little boys, too. It was quite remarkable. I hope I can continue to do [croître] the sport. »
The day ended with an autograph signing session, attended by striker Laura Stacey. “Everyone told us: we want to come back! That’s what we want to hear. We have been playing and training for so long. To attract so many spectators who see [le résultat de nos efforts], I hope this will encourage them all to come back. »
In French or in Frenglish?
Just a quick word on a recurring criticism of the Montreal team: the French situation. Coach Kori Cheverie, who was unilingual English-speaking at the time of her appointment, has made remarkable progress in learning Guy Lafleur’s language. She also insisted on starting the post-match press conference with a speech in French.
Striker Laura Stacey then answered a question from my colleague Jean-François Téotonio in French. And throughout the evening, the entertainment in French was impeccable. This deserves to be highlighted.
On the other hand, in the digital world, there is room for improvement. Read Saturday on X: “We have merch on site. ” Really ? “It’s time to get away from it. » An expression read three times since the start of the season. Who talks like that? And on the club’s website, the “Watch” tab, to find out where to watch the games on television, has been translated as… “Watch”.
Come on.
You can do better.
You can do better.