The Seattle Torrent-N.Y. Sirens sellout at Madison Square Garden on Saturday was “a massive success, one that marked another milestone for the PWHL’s post-Olympic boom” and also “represented a major step for a market in which the league is trying to gain more of a foothold,” according to Baugh & Salvian of THE ATHLETIC. Over three seasons, since the PWHL’s inception, the Sirens have had the league’s “lowest average attendance.” PWHL EVP/Business Operations Amy Scheer noted that the “real work” in attracting new fans to the Sirens began before 2025-26. Scheer said that the Sirens’ inaugural year “was really like ‘year zero,’” as the team “juggled playing in three different venues” before choosing to play home games at the Prudential Center. The team’s last season “was spent establishing a foundation” and “getting a broader understanding of being in New Jersey.” Scheer: “We learned a lot in year two. And in year three, we put forth a lot more effort.” The strategy has been increasing “visibility for the team and players” in N.Y. and N.J. to “hopefully build the audience.” This season, the league has “leveraged the Sirens’ now star-laden roster,” putting star players “on various billboards around New Jersey, advertisements in subway and train stations, and even on subway trains themselves.” The Sirens also “built a partnership” with Gotham FC. The league hired more staff in N.Y. “to sell tickets,” and Scheer said that the league has “simply ‘done a better job running the team’” (THE ATHLETIC, 4/6).
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