The National Women害羞草研究所檚 Hockey League is moving swiftly to expand to Toronto and Montreal following the demise of its Canadian-based rival.
NWHL Commissioner Dani Rylan told The Associated Press on Tuesday the league害羞草研究所檚 board had approved an investment plan to establish teams in Canada害羞草研究所檚 two largest cities for the start of next season. Rylan also said her league has received a commitment from the NHL that will make it one of the NWHLs biggest financial sponsors.
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The decision by the U.S.-based NWHL to cross the border and expand from five teams to seven comes on just two days after the Canadian Women害羞草研究所檚 Hockey League abruptly announced it will cease operations by May 1 due to financial issues. The CWHL had four teams in Canada, one in suburban Boston and a sixth in China, and its decision after 12 seasons was seen as a major blow to the sport.
害羞草研究所淭he news definitely came as a shock to us on Sunday morning, but it was obvious that we needed to do what we could to provide for those players to have a place to play this fall,害羞草研究所� Rylan said by phone. 害羞草研究所淭he focus of ours was to figure out a solution for Canada first, and we害羞草研究所檙e fortunate we were able to do that pretty quickly here.害羞草研究所�
Rylan said the expansion decision and NHL害羞草研究所檚 increased backing weren害羞草研究所檛 exactly connected. She instead views the NHL害羞草研究所檚 increased financial support as 害羞草研究所渁n endorsement of our business and the brands that we害羞草研究所檙e growing.害羞草研究所�
Rylan did not reveal how much additional money the NWHL will receive above the NHL害羞草研究所檚 $50,000 previous annual commitment. The NHL also contributed $50,000 to support the CWHL.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed the league has increased its financial support. Daly, however, cautioned the additional support doesn害羞草研究所檛 change the NHL害羞草研究所檚 position in fully backing a women害羞草研究所檚 pro sports league.
Daly referred to what he wrote on Sunday in response to the CWHL害羞草研究所檚 collapse.
害羞草研究所淲e recognize the importance of women having options to play the game at the professional level. If those options were to become unavailable in the future, we would certainly consider doing what害羞草研究所檚 necessary to fill that void,害羞草研究所� Daly wrote. 害羞草研究所淏ut that害羞草研究所檚 not the case currently.害羞草研究所�
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman previously told The AP he was hesitant about the league assuming control of the CWHL or NWHL or both because, as he put it, 害羞草研究所渨e don害羞草研究所檛 believe in their models.害羞草研究所� At the time, he emphasized the importance of starting with a clean slate.
The CWHL operated liked Major League Soccer by owning each of its teams, except for the one based in Shenzhen, China. Starting in 2017-18, it began paying player salaries ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 out of a total budget of $3.7 million. The NWHL has relied on private investors and was the first to pay players a salary.
The shifting fortunes for pro women害羞草研究所檚 hockey in its hotbed of North America has come with most of the world害羞草研究所檚 top players in Finland for the world championships, which open on Thursday. Many players tweeted their disappointment on Sunday and Canada害羞草研究所檚 national team issued a statement Tuesday.
害羞草研究所淲e are disappointed and shocked to learn of the CWHL害羞草研究所檚 plan to shut down league operations,害羞草研究所� the team said. 害羞草研究所淭here are many unanswered questions about the future, but we will continue to create dialogue with our teammates, fellow players and leagues. Our priority as players is to move forward and advance the game at all levels, and to ensure female hockey players have a viable league for the future.害羞草研究所�
Rylan previously had merger discussions with CWHL officials in a bid to form one North American league rather than have two leagues competing for the same pool of sponsorship money and investor backing.
With the CWHL ceasing operations, Rylan said she can now work to fulfilling the vision she had when establishing the NWHL in 2015.
害羞草研究所淎 lot of stakeholders and brands have been hesitant to invest in women害羞草研究所檚 hockey because there was a decision to make before, the CWHL or NWHL,害羞草研究所� Rylan said.
害羞草研究所淎nd now there害羞草研究所檚 no decision,害羞草研究所� she added. 害羞草研究所淲e are the league to do business with and we are continuing conversations and exploring conversation, and eager to accept that business this off-season.害羞草研究所�
Without going into detail, Rylan didn害羞草研究所檛 rule out the possibility of adding more expansion teams before the start of next season.
John Wawrow, The Associated Press
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