The PWHL, the nascent major women's ice hockey league in the US and Canada, has brought in outside investment for the first time.
Kilmer Sports Ventures has now joined as a strategic partner of the 12-team competition, as has Ilitch Companies (parent of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment).
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This comes with four new teams joining the league in 2026-27 – based out of Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Jose in the US, and Hamilton in Canada.
So far, funding across the three years the league has been in existence has been provided by the founders, Mark and Kimbra Walter. They will continue to "oversee league operations and strategic direction, while benefiting from the expertise, relationships, and perspectives," of the new investors.
Larry Tenenbaum leads Kilmer Sports Ventures and is the chair of the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment multi-sport ownership group (which controls soccer, basketball, and ice hockey teams), whilst also chair of the NBA board of governors.
He has also bought French soccer club Saint-Etienne, while his Toronto Tempo WNBA franchise began life in the women's basketball league last month.
Tenenbaum stated: "Building world-class women's sports organizations that inspire the next generation of athletes, fans, and leaders is how you create something that truly lasts. We saw that opportunity first with the Tempo, Canada's first WNBA team, and now we're proud to deepen that commitment through this significant investment in the PWHL."
Ilitch Companies, meanwhile, controls the Detroit Red Wings (ice hockey) and Detroit Tigers (baseball), and also manages the Little Caesars Arena, in which the new Detroit PWHL side will play.
Chris Ilitch, the parent company's chief executive, added: "Investing in the PWHL means an opportunity to broaden the game’s reach, connect with new fans, and create pathways for athletes for generations to come. Our organization has long believed in the power of hockey to bring communities together and open doors for the next generation.
"From supporting youth and amateur hockey for nearly 60 years to investing in the future of women’s professional hockey, we are proud to help advance the game at every level."
Last month, the PWHL claimed it is approaching 2 million fans and is seeing a 20% year-over-year increase in average attendance.
The 2025-26 PWHL season – which ended on May 20 – featured two expansion teams – the Seattle Torrent and the Vancouver Goldeneyes, which became the league’s first two west coast locations, expanding the league markedly beyond its previous market area.
Last season saw the PWHL broadcast its first-ever game on national linear television in the US, a testament to its increasing profile, with ION – the national sports and entertainment network owned by Scripps Sports – partnering with Ally Financial to broadcast the PWHL ‘Takeover Tour’ game between the New York Sirens on March 28.
The 2025-26 PWHL campaign ended with the Montreal Victoire side winning its first-ever Walter Cup trophy.
