PWHL to reach national U.S. TV audience with Scripps Sports to broadcast neutral site game in Detroit

The Professional Women's Hockey League is coming to a TV set near you in the United States.

The league announced that its neutral-site game at Detroit on March 28 between the New York Sirens and Montreal Victoire will be the first accessible to a national U.S. television audience. The PWHL has chosen Scripps Sports to broadcast the game on ION, which is accessible to 126 million American households, in a one-time deal that could potentially turn into a long-term partnership.

Scripps already has a track record of broadcasting women's sports as a rights-holder for WNBA and NWSL games. And it has previously aired PWHL games in its NHL TV markets.

The agreement also involves Detroit-based Ally Financial, which is the "Takeover Tour" game's primary sponsor, and has played a significant role in backing the NWSL and other women's sports.

"The first-ever national broadcast is a truly historic moment for our league," PWHL executive VP of business operations Amy Scheer said in a release. "We are continuing to fuel this rocket ship that is the PWHL, as we expand the reach and exposure of our league to new fans."

The broadcast deal comes as women's hockey enjoys a surge in momentum following the Hilary Knight-led U.S. team's gold-medal victory at the Milan Cortina Games last month.

And though the PWHL has been in talks with Scripps for several years, the agreement to broadcast the game in Detroit came during discussions at Milan, Scheer told The Associated Press.

"The time has to be right, right?" Scheer said, of conversations she had with Scripps Sports president Brian Lawlor in Italy. "It just motivates you to want to do more. I think this is the perfect time for us to have this game on ION, and we'll see what comes of it. But