7 things we can learn from the PWHL

Hands in the air, screaming, cheering, dancing… I had a lot of “feels” within 10 seconds last Friday night on Bank Street in Ottawa.

Anne, our daughter Cassie, and I were at the Ottawa Charge PWHL (Professional Women’s Hockey League) game against the Montreal Victoire. TD Place was packed. The game was a nailbiter right to the end. I felt euphoric at the final buzzer. Ottawa moved on to the next round with a 2-1 win.

The Charge and the PWHL have managed to create a women’s pro hockey product that looks like it will survive when the last few attempts have failed fast.

Here are seven things they did right:
1. Invested in pro production values right from the start. The games have all been televised, right from the first puck drop. Content is king and they made it easy to follow the league across every social media and content channel.

2. Put big names to be the front-office face of the league. Cassie Campbell, Tessa Bonhome, Billie Jean King… they pulled in big-name ambassadors and gave them positions of influence. (Jayna Hefford is the SR VP of hockey operations.)

3. Went local. They launched with six teams and chose their markets carefully. After a great launch year they didn’t expand in the second year. They aren’t adding new teams until fall 2025.

4. Got well funded. Ed Walter owns the league and all the teams. He also owns the LA Dodgers. He’s worth $12 billion. He bankrolled everything and allowed the league to make the best choices instead of chasing the nearest buck.

5. Used their stars. Poulin is in Montreal. Nurse is in Toronto. Knight plays for Boston. The league put the star players in their home markets and then gave them tons of profile on their broadcasts.

6. Made it their own. They’re literally playing by their own rules. “Jailbreak” means your player gets sprung from the box if you score while killing a penalty. It’s a great rule. Hockey fans are taking notice.

7. Made sure everyone was bought in. Anne went to a clinic for adult rec players. She was coached by the players and their coach, Carla MacLeod. They took it seriously. Anne LOVED it.

What can we learn from the PWHL launch that translates to our own marketing (besides finding someone like Ed Walter to back you with a long runway and lots of cash)? 

• Keep it local. If you’re the home team, crow about it. Find your niche and keep hitting it hard. Marketing is cheaper and easier when you narrow down the market.

• Get your team on board. The PWHL turned its players into an effective sales team. Make sure your frontline staff knows the gameplan and is on board. They have to translate your marketing copy in sales calls and with customers so make sure they buy into your vision. 

• Use influencers. The PWHL used Cassie Campbell and Billie Jean King for instant credibility. Influencers aren’t just for big brands with deep pockets. Use customer testimonials to add credibility to your claims.

• Make it your own. Every marketing plan is unique. Find your secret sauce and run with it. 

Anne and I will be at the game tonight. I can’t wait.