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- Twitch has entered into a three-year agreement with the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) to become its exclusive streaming partner.
- The partnership includes streaming NWHL games, content collaboration, “new fan engagement opportunities,” and additional income to players.
- Since 2017, Twitch has made a number of traditional sports partnerships including the NBA, NFL, and Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide.
Twitch has been named the exclusive streaming partner of the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL). For the next three years beginning Oct. 5, Twitch will stream all NWHL regular season, Isobel Cup Playoff, and special event games.
As part of the agreement, Twitch will collaborate with NWHL to create “innovative content” designed to increase “the deep connection” between NWHL players and their fans, according to a statement. In addition, Twitch will help provide “new fan engagement opportunities” as part of the live game viewing experience.
“The live broadcasts of every single NWHL game on Twitch will allow us to both foster and grow our current community while introducing professional hockey to a new audience for the first time,” NWHL Commissioner Dani Rylan said in the announcement. “Twitch’s platform also provides our fans and players the unique opportunity to collaborate on the viewing experience.”
This partnership marks the first time that NWHL will receive broadcast fees. Revenue from the exclusive Twitch streaming agreement will be split 50/50 between NWHL players and the league.
Known primarily as a videogame streaming platform, Amazon-owned Twitch has expanded its range of programming in recent years to include television, art, fitness, music, and traditional sports, among other topics.
Twitch has made a number of agreements to stream traditional sporting events since 2017 that includes but is not limited to the NBA G League, NFL, Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, and the Stadium Sports Network.
In a statement, Jane Weedon, head of new verticals at Twitch called the partnership with NWHL “perfect” as the company expands its offering of traditional sports verticals worldwide.
