The two groups announced Friday that the Premier Hockey League has been purchased by The Mark Walter Group and Billie Jean King Enterprises.
The league will stop all operations. PHF player contracts will be terminated; Players will receive severance pay and a period of continuous health benefits.
This news comes after a long split between the league and the Professional Hockey Players Association and fundamentally changes the landscape of professional women’s hockey. The path is now clear for one North American league that can showcase the best players in the world.
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Why is PHF closing? Explaining the change in women’s professional hockey and what’s next
Players from the PHF and PWHPA were informed of the news in separate meetings Thursday night.
The PHF, formerly the Women’s National Hockey League, was founded in 2015 and was the only choice for professional women’s hockey in North America after the Canadian Women’s Hockey League closed in March 2019. The PWHPA was founded in May 2019 with a vision to build a sustainable league. In May 2022, the athlete was the first to report that the PWHPA had entered into a formal working relationship with Mark Walter Group and Billie Jean King Enterprises to explore launching the league. The group is finalizing a first-of-its-kind CBA ahead of the league’s launch.
“I have always believed that professional sports should achieve the highest levels of performance and organization, and this new league will have the support and resources it needs to represent the very best in women’s hockey,” Walter said in a statement released Friday.
“This is an extraordinary opportunity to advance women’s sports,” King said. “I have no doubt that this league can capture the imagination of fans and a new generation of players. I want to thank Mark and Kimbra Walter for their vision and commitment to investing in women’s sports.”
the athlete It reported in March that a new professional league would be ready for the 2023-24 season. There will be six teams, with rosters of 23 players. More details, such as where the teams are located, are still awaiting attendance.
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(Photo by Jocelyn Laroque and Kendall Quinn Schofield: Justin Pearl/Getty Images)
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