The NWHL (National Women’s Hockey League) made waves last year when it became the first women’s professional hockey league to pay its players. But with sagging attendance and no media deal to buffer the league’s suddenly dry coffers, commissioner Dani Rylan has had to take a drastic step: slashing player salaries across the board. League management will not take a pay cut, however.
Here are some of the other excerpts from her media call today, courtesy of the fine folks at Puck Daddy:
Rylan: Players will continue to receive commission on jersey and shirsey sales #NWHL
— Jen Neale (@MsJenNeale) November 18, 2016
NWHL’s Dani Rylan said Dunkin’ Donuts, league sponsor, immediately anted up $50K for players after hearing salary cut news.
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) November 18, 2016
Rylan also surprisingly confirmed that the players association for the NWHL was not involved in the decision making process for this move.
“[They] didn’t have a say,” said Rylan of her league’s players. She added the player contracts will be honored later in the season if conditions improve.
The NWHL has not gotten off to the best start in its recent existence. The league’s former Chief Marketing Officer filed suit against the league and Rylan for $650,000 in April, and in March news leaked that equipment company Bauer was not paid on time by the league in order to fund player salaries.
Rylan also said that a merger with the CWHL, the women’s professional league based entirely in Canada, is currently not on the table.
Hopefully the league can sort out these issues and become more financially solvent, as a healthy women’s professional hockey league would be fantastic for the sport in this country.
