The PWHL is racking up milestones, with the second-year pro women's hockey league officially passing the one-million-fan mark on Sunday.

The record-clinching game came during the league's penultimate 2025 Takeover Tour matchup, after 14,288 fans turned up to Detroit's Little Caesars Arena to see the New York Sirens take down the Minnesota Frost 4-1 on Sunday.

To honor the milestone, players tossed signed special "PWHL One Million Fans" pucks to fans during a commemorative timeout during the game's first period.

After averaging around 5,500 fans per game last season, the league has seen a 7,000 attendance average so far this season, resulting in the current all-time official tally of 1,001,648 fans.

Across its 70 completed second-season games, the PWHL has already racked up 518,118 attendees, surpassing the league's total attendance of 483,530 fans from all 85 games last season — inclusive of the PWHL's first-ever playoffs. 

"This is truly a 'pinch me' moment," said PWHL EVP of business operations Amy Scheer. "The overwhelming support from fans, the energy in the arenas, and the league’s rapid growth all highlight how much people are connecting with the PWHL."

"Today is a moment we’ll always remember, and we’re grateful to the fans of Detroit for celebrating it with us in such a big way."

A PWHL fan holds up a sign that reads "Detroit needs a team" at Sunday's Takeover Tour game.
With two record-setting PWHL Takeover games, Detroit is making a strong case for an expansion team. (Dave Reginek/Getty Images)

Detroit makes a case for PWHL expansion team

Sunday's special out-of-market matchup also set a new US attendance record for pro women's ice hockey, further boosting the city's case to claim a PWHL expansion team.

“It's another extremely big win for the sport globally,” Frost forward Kendall Coyne Schofield told reporters after Sunday’s game. "It’s important to tip our hockey helmet to Detroit."

Detroit's new US record comes one year to the day after the Michigan metropolis set the then-national attendance record at the league's first-ever Takeover Weekend, when 13,736 fans watched Boston defeat Ottawa 2-1 on March 16th, 2024.

With the PWHL eyeing expansion, announcing last November that it intends to increase from its current six-team roster to eight teams by the time the puck drops on the 2025/26 season, the enthusiasm of Detroit hockey fans could put the city at the top of the league's potential market list.

"To see the league grow so rapidly is a reflection of the dedication of our players, who demonstrate their world-class talent every day, as well as the countless individuals behind the scenes who work relentlessly to ensure the league's success," said PWHL EVP of hockey operations Jayna Hefford.

"The passion and support from our fans has been incredible, and this is only the beginning." 

On the heels of last season’s successful "Takeover Weekends" in Detroit and Pittsburgh, the PWHL announced Monday that the league will embark on a nine-city Takeover Tour spanning nine new markets across the US and Canada this winter.

Accordingly, the tour will shift nine 2024/25 regular-season games to neutral locations, with stars hitting the ice primarily in NHL arenas.

All six teams — the Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, and Toronto Sceptres — will play a minimum of two tour matches. Ottawa and Montréal lead all teams with four off-site games on the docket.

According to PWHL SVP of business operations Amy Scheer, "When exploring potential locations for a PWHL game, the enthusiasm from cities eager to engage with our League was incredibly encouraging."

Ultimately, after kicking off in Seattle on January 5th, the second-year league's tour will visit Vancouver, Denver, Québec City, Buffalo, Raleigh, and Detroit before wrapping up in St. Louis on March 29th. One final city, set to host Toronto and Ottawa on February 16th, will be announced in the coming weeks.

pwhl toronto hockey team celebrate a goal on the ice.
The PWHL is looking to add two new teams for the 2025/26 season. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

Audience growth and league expansion fuel PWHL tour

With two teams set to join the PWHL before the puck drops on the 2025/26 season, the Takeover Tour allows the league to test potential expansion markets while simultaneously growing fan interest across North America.

"Bringing PWHL games to fans across both countries is a natural next step as we continue building our audience," noted Scheer in the league's statement.

"The PWHL Takeover Tour lets us showcase our game and exceptional athletes across a wider North American footprint — an exciting moment for our players and an important move for our business as we consider expansion."

How to attend the PWHL's 2025 Takeover Tour

Tickets for January 19th's bout between the Ottawa Charge and Montréal Victoire in Québec City are available online now. Pre-sales for all other Tour stops begin on Thursday.

Additionally, all 2024/25 tickets will be available on Friday at 10 AM in each game's local market.