Prudential Center should be permanent home of PWHL New York

The PWHL has enjoyed a successful first season, shining a spotlight on women’s professional hockey. Across the league, fans have tuned in and showed up to cheer on the best women’s hockey players in the world. But one team has failed to match the success of the other five both on the ice and in the crowd, averaging just 2,540 fans in attendance.

Despite having a roster filled with talented players like Alex Carpenter, Ella Shelton, Corinne Schroeder and Micah Zandee-Hart, PWHL New York has struggled all season long. They were the first team eliminated from playoff contention. They’ve now secured the first overall pick in the second PWHL draft. Perhaps their struggle to put together a winning season has led to low attendance. But the bigger problem is location, which is why the league is considering venues for next year. Here’s why PWHL New York should make themselves a new home in New Jersey.

Prudential Center is the right home for PWHL New York

PWHL New York split their home games this year between Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut, home of the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders, and UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, home of the NHL’s New York Islanders. They also played two home games at the end of the season at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, home of the New Jersey Devils. PWHL New York’s training center is in Stamford, Connecticut.

New York’s highest attendance at UBS Arena was 4,459 on March 3. New York’s most recent game at UBS on April 28 brought in just 1,668 fans. Their most recent game at Total Mortgage Arena had 1,702 fans in attendance. New York’s lowest attendance came on March 6 at Total Mortgage Arena, with just 728 fans. The low support in Bridgeport, CT led to PWHL New York pulling the plug on their last scheduled date at Total Mortgage Arena, moving the game over to UBS Arena.

This is a far cry from the crowds that show up in cities like Minnesota and Toronto. The attendance record for women’s professional hockey is 19,285, set at Scotiabank Arena for a Toronto vs. Montreal game. The United States attendance record is 13,736, for a game at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit between Ottawa and Boston as part of PWHL Takeover Weekend.

Splitting home games between three arenas is not ideal for the players and staff, who live in Connecticut near their training facility during the season. It also makes it difficult to establish a consistent fanbase, but the upside is reaching more people. The different venues have allowed fans in three different states to experience a home game.

On April 20 and April 30, PWHL New York called New Jersey home. Their home game on April 20 at Prudential Center marked their highest attendance of the season with 5,132 hockey fans in attendance. Their second game at Prudential Center was held on April 30, with 2,992 fans in attendance.

Newark was buzzing for both of PWHL New York’s visits to town. Despite the 2-1 loss to Boston on April 20, PWHL New York was treated to an energetic New Jersey crowd. “They were awesome; best crowd we've had so far at home,” New York’s head coach Howie Draper said after his team’s first game in Newark. The electric atmosphere returned on April 30, although it was a smaller crowd on a weeknight than the Saturday game, and this came after New York's elimination from playoff contention.

During the April 30 home game, a fan being interviewed pumped up the crowd over the jumbotron, asking if Prudential Center should be the official home of PWHL New York. Thunderous applause and cheering ensued. New Jersey would welcome the women of New York playing in their state. Is a move to Prudential Center a possibility? The league knows that a venue change is needed. 

The two games PWHL New York played in New Jersey show the potential for higher attendance. The average attendance between the two games was 4,062, which is 1,522 higher than the team’s average attendance for the year. This might not sound like a lot, but considering the team was eliminated from playoff contention one game after their Prudential Center debut, the attendance in Newark shows potential. Perhaps if the games in New Jersey had been scheduled earlier in the season before it became clear New York was the weakest team in the league, the attendance could have been higher.

Even though Prudential Center is the home of the one professional sports team that claims New Jersey and only New Jersey in their name, the New Jersey Devils, it shouldn’t be a problem that Prudential Center is not in New York. PWHL New York currently plays in Connecticut. And of course, this wouldn’t be the first professional sports team labeled New York to reside in New Jersey. The New York Giants, New York Jets, and New York Red Bulls all call a New Jersey venue their home. NJ/NY Gotham FC also plays in New Jersey and has both New Jersey and New York in their name. It was a little weird hearing “New York, New York” play after PWHL New York’s win in New Jersey, but the vibes were there.

New Jersey has a market for women’s hockey. The Metropolitan Riveters of the former PHF (Premier Hockey Federation) played at the Barnabas Health Hockey House at Prudential Center in Newark from 2016 to 2019. The Riveters partnered with the Devils while playing at their practice facility. They then moved over to ProSkate Ice Arena in Monmouth Junction before relocating to The Rink at the American Dream Meadowlands in East Rutherford. Now that the PWHL has been founded, and the women's game has grown, it's time for a team to find a permanent home in New Jersey.

With a consistent home next year, PWHL New York would have the opportunity to grow a fanbase. Prudential Center is the prime location. The PWHL should make Prudential Center the long-term home for PWHL New York.