PWHL considers options including relocating Ottawa Charge over plans to cut seating capacity

The Professional Women’s Hockey League is exploring options including the possibility of relocating the Ottawa Charge following the city’s plan to reduce the team’s current home’s seating capacity by about 2,000 during a renovation, a league executive said Tuesday.

Speaking on a Zoom call with reporters, executive vice president of business operations Amy Scheer said the only certainty is the Charge not playing at the renovated facility. And she accused city officials of blindsiding the league by refusing to give it a seat at the table before making its plans public.

“We will not go backwards,” Scheer said.

“We certainly don’t want to leave Ottawa. We chose Ottawa for a reason. And the fans have been wonderfully supportive of us there. And we’d like to find a solution that works for us to stay in Ottawa,” she added. “But the city hasn’t made it easy for us. And it’s disappointing.”

Scheer’s comments come two weeks after Ottawa city council voted 15-10 to move ahead with a $419 million plan to renovate Lansdowne Park, an entertainment, sports and outdoor area. The park is home to the CFL Redblacks stadium and adjoining hockey arena that is home to the Charge and the Ontario Hockey League 67s.

A message seeking comment left by The Associated Press with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, who voted in favor of the plan, was not immediately returned.

At issue are plans to reduce the arena’s capacity from 8,500 to 6,600 — including about 900 spaces for standing-only patrons — for a project expected to break ground this year and run through 2033.

In passing the resolution, the council included an amendment to work with the PWHL to keep the Charge in Ottawa.

The Charge averaged nearly 7,000 fans per game last season, though they enjoyed larger turnouts on weekends.

“These women have worked too hard to get to the point today where a 5,500-seat building is well below what we average in Ottawa,” Scheer said, accusing the city of favoring men’s over women’s hockey. “The city was very clear on where we fit in the ecosystem of their sports, which is nowhere.”

The venue issue, and potential relocation of the Charge, come as the PWHL prepares to open its third season on Friday, and with further expansion on the horizon. After growing to eight teams with the additions of franchises in Seattle and Vancouver, the league already is in the process of adding between two and four more teams for Season 4.

Scheer first went public with the PWHL’s expansion plans when addressing Ottawa city council before its vote.

Among the PWHL’s options for the Charge are having them play out of the Senators’ home. The Sens also are in the early planning stages of building a new home closer to downtown.

Scheer said the league remains in discussions with city officials, with no deadline set on when to make a decision on the Charge’s future.

“I don’t think you turn your ears off to what is possible,” Scheer said. “So we’re ready to listen.”

Each of the league’s eight Takeover Tour neutral-site games played in U.S. markets also will have local broadcast partners. And the entire 120-game schedule still will be available globally on the PWHL’s YouTube channel, with the exception of Canada, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

In Canada, Sportsnet returns as the league’s broadcast partner.

“The PWHL’s broadcast strategy isn’t about exclusivity — it’s about accessibility,” Scheer said.