One of the up-and-coming leagues in women's sports right now is the PWHL. After two seasons, interest in the league has grown with each season. One of the cool things is they have a tour called the PWHL Takeover Tour, where teams travel across the country and play on NHL rinks. Last night, the PWHL stopped at the American Airlines Center as the New York Sirens and the Seattle Torrent faced off in a heated battle that featured an ejection and a hat trick.
It was also cool seeing two DFW women's hockey players featured in the game. Hannah Bilka and Ally Simpson got to play in front of girls who are dreaming of playing professional hockey on the biggest stage. That's something that should have given both ladies goosebumps. The only thing I can say about last night is that it's time for the league to create a team in Dallas to provide the league with its first professional market in the south. The crowd was even chanting, "We want a team."
I'm sure the league is considering it after seeing how big the crowd was after last night. Last night was larger than expected, as 8,514 fans were in attendance for the game. The crowd could have been much larger if they had sold $5 tickets for level 300 and hadn't had the game the weekend right after Christmas. However, I do think it would be smart for the league to consider Dallas as they look to expand to four more markets before taking a break, adding teams to the league.
One thing that would also help the league save money is that they wouldn't have to worry about a training facility. There are so many Dallas Stars Centers around the DFW Metroplex that they could have the team train there and play hockey at the American Airlines Center. I'm sure the arena would be more than accommodating to allow them to use it during the season. It might be tricky with the Dallas Stars' and Dallas Mavericks' schedule, but it could work.
If the potential PWHL team can't play at the AAC, there's always the Comerica Center. They had the Dallas Stars prospect games there before training camp started, and have hosted hockey tournaments there. There is plenty of room in there to sell tickets and have a sellout crowd. It would also be beneficial since most of the hockey development in the DFW metroplex is in the Frisco/McKinney area.
In conclusion, it's evident from last night that there is Texas-sized interest in having a PWHL team in Texas. You heard the crowd chant "We want a team" We want over and over throughout the third period. Dallas is an up-and-coming hockey market, driven by the Dallas Stars' growth throughout the metroplex. It would be cool to see a team in Dallas made up of girls who learned the game of hockey through Dallas Stars camps and leagues. What are you waiting for, PWHL? Let Dallas become your first southern market for Professional Women's Hockey.