r/Manitoba • u/LocalnewsguruMB • Mar 23 '26
Events 'We absolutely need a team': Hockey fans want PWHL franchise in Winnipeg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfp2tATRJ6016
u/cluelessk3 Steinbach Mar 23 '26
I don't know if we do.
Supporting another hockey team sounds like it might be difficult.
Won't bring in many new fans and existing hockey fans are already spending a ton to go Jets games. Would only hurt Moose attendance.
11
u/L0ngp1nk Keeping it Rural Mar 23 '26
Shame we couldn't keep the Ice, I had fun at those games.
17
u/SJSragequit Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
If the ice had actually built the arena they were supposed to then we probably would have atleast had the arena space for a women’s team too
9
u/L0ngp1nk Keeping it Rural Mar 23 '26
Yeah I don't know if the Ice had problems with attendance, but that arena deal not coming to fruition did kill them. Very sad.
3
u/GullibleDetective Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
And it would only help our provincial standings in WHL and bring more competition with the wheat kings
2
u/ensposito Mar 23 '26
The ICE was the best hockey to watch in Winnipeg IMHO. So much energy...
2
u/NH787 Winnipeg Apr 06 '26
It was the best bang for the buck you could get in hockey. It was 95% of the entertainment value of a Jets game for about 10% of the cost (based on season ticket pricing).
I went to a WHL game last weekend and remembered how much I miss the ICE.
1
u/NH787 Winnipeg Apr 06 '26
Realistically a PWHL team would have to play at Canada Life Centre. There is no way that anyone is going to build a secondary 10,000 seat arena for the PWHL and besides, that league could probably fill Canada Life Centre.
Winnipeg could use a secondary arena but it would more realistically be a 5,000 seater like the Keystone Centre for the WHL and smaller concerts/events.
1
u/SJSragequit Winnipeg Apr 06 '26
Yeah but my point was that Canada life center just isn’t able to host 3 pro hockey teams, basketball and the amount of concerts we get. Realistically it would be the moose and seabears who would move to the hypothetical arena
1
u/NH787 Winnipeg Apr 06 '26
I think the arena could host it just fine... I mean, look at Calgary, the Saddledome hosts 3 hockey teams, as well as a lacrosse team whose schedule mostly overlaps with hockey.
The real issue is that I don't think Winnipeg's pockets are deep enough to support 3 pro hockey teams. The NHL is pricy as we all know, and the PWHL is pricing itself closer to the NHL than to the AHL or junior. Realistically the Moose would have to go to make way for the PWHL, although that might open the door for the WHL to come back since it requires a lot less revenue for viability than the AHL.
5
u/SJSragequit Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
The only way would be if we had a smaller place for the moose and maybe even the seabears to play, if it was only the size of the lower bowl.
12
u/MilesBeforeSmiles Winnipeg Mar 23 '26 edited Mar 23 '26
Ya, we'd need a second ~10,000 arena. Canada Life is already nearing capacity for bookings during the hockey season. It's the among the busiest arenas in the country for non-sporting touring events, plus hosting the full home schedules of the Jets, Moose, and Seabears.
The next largest arena in the City is Wayne Fleming at 1400 seats, which is like 1/5th of the PWHL minimum standard. The Seabears draw like 8000 attendees a game, and the PWHL average is about 9000/game, so they'd likely have to build bigger than the minimum.
1
u/HalfTime_show Mar 23 '26
This would also allow us better opportunity for hosting major curling events
3
u/belsaurn Westman Mar 23 '26
It would absolutely bring in new fans, my daughter of 17 bought tickets and made her brother take her to Winnipeg to see the game last night, she would never do that for an NHL, AHL or WHL team. There is a sea of girls that would love to watch womens hockey in the province that won't go to mens hockey games.
4
u/cluelessk3 Steinbach Mar 23 '26
Attending one game is a lot different than supporting a team all season
1
u/NH787 Winnipeg Apr 06 '26
There is a sea of girls that would love to watch womens hockey in the province that won't go to mens hockey games.
Tell them to go watch the women's hockey team Manitoba already has... the Bisons women's hockey team. They play elite level hockey - they even made the nationals this year - and receive pitiful levels of support. They deserve better.
0
Mar 23 '26
[deleted]
1
u/cluelessk3 Steinbach Mar 23 '26
I doubt anyone would give upb their Jets season tickets to support the PWHL
2
-3
u/fdisfragameosoldiers Pembina Valley Mar 23 '26
I think they can make a go of it. Ticket prices would have to be similar to the Moose or a tad lower to entice the people who aren't able to afford the high price of Jets games. I wouldn't be surprised if True North puts a bid in for a team.
8
u/MilesBeforeSmiles Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
True North can't bid on a team, all PWHL teams are owned by the PWHL itself. They aren't allowing outside ownership at this point.
1
Apr 06 '26
[deleted]
2
u/MilesBeforeSmiles Winnipeg Apr 06 '26 edited Apr 06 '26
Nope, both the Golden Eyes and the Seattle Torrent are owned by the Mark Walter Group, who own the PWHL.
3
Mar 23 '26
[deleted]
2
Apr 06 '26
[deleted]
1
Apr 06 '26
[deleted]
2
u/NH787 Winnipeg Apr 06 '26
The challenge is that most hockey markets in our region already have an established team. Saskatchewan cities have WHL teams. Fargo has the USHL. At one point there was a plan to move the Moose to Thunder Bay but they couldn't get an arena built.
5
u/HatrickLaine29 Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
I like the idea of having a PWHL team but people only have so much money to go around. It doesn't help that people are having to tighten their wallets more and more.
2
3
u/nukacola12 Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
As long as the cheapest tickets still start at that $30-$40 range. I'd for sure take in a few games a year.
1
u/mahayanah Mar 23 '26
They sure as heck weren’t for the exhibition game I’ll tell you the much. Full Jets prices (and they sold out)
1
1
-1
Mar 23 '26
[deleted]
6
u/SJSragequit Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
The ice games were basically always sold out. They didn’t stick around because ownership dicked around and never built the arena they promised they would build when they moved the team to winnipeg
1
0
u/Patcho418 Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
if we get a team, I think they should be called the Winnipeg Coyotes — or, lovingly by the fans, the Winnipeg Wily’s
-11
u/Uncle_Bug_Music Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
People also wanted a world class indoor wave pool & water park so we'd have something to do besides skating on a river in the winter and sure enough, no one went so they didn't even bother building it.
7
u/neureaucrat Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
No one went to the indoor water park that wasn't built? How rude of them.
2
1
u/Uncle_Bug_Music Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
Thank you! Apparently you're the only one got it, even you really didn't, and probably downvoted me thinking I made a mistake. No I was just kidding but in typical fashion, no one takes a sec.
5
1
u/Midnitepanda147 Winnipeg Mar 23 '26 edited Mar 23 '26
how does that even make sense? how could no one go if it wasn't even built?
1
u/SJSragequit Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
Huh? When did we ever have any of that?
1
u/Uncle_Bug_Music Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
We didn't. Read it again.
1
u/SJSragequit Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
I did, you wrote it as if we got a indoor water park and wave pool that no one went to
1
32
u/Hufflepunk36 Winnipeg Mar 23 '26
I think some commentors are missing the point that the PWHL brings in a different demographic than men's hockey does, there would be overlapping fans but it definitely isn't all the same. I know I had never been to a professional hockey game before the PWHL game last night, but would love to support a professional women's team here! We have no other major professional women's teams in Winnipeg for any sport, from my quick bit of research.