The Bay Area is getting a new professional sports team.
The Professional Women’s Hockey League announced Tuesday that it is expanding to SAP Center for the upcoming season that opens in December.
With the PWHL season starting in a few months, San Jose has got a franchise gearing up.
“San Jose and the Bay Area is about dreamers, it’s about believers, it’s about innovators, startup culture and moving forward fast,” Bay FC cofounder Brandi Chastain said during the announcement event.
Fans also expressed excitement about the new team’s arrival.
“I’m really excited,” fan Melody Ray said. “Me and my auntie go to a lot of the Sharks games and Barracuda games, so I’m really excited to experience this with her too.”
Organizers pointed to the success of other Bay Area women’s sports franchises, including the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries and the National Women’s Soccer League’s Bay FC.
“There is that element of, hey, this is a women’s sports hub across the country,” Bay FC cofounder Aly Wagner said. “If we start to own that narrative, there is a lot of value that will flow downstream to our city, to our community.”
San Jose is one of the league’s four new expansion franchises, growing the league’s team count to 12.
League officials said the team colors will be orange, blue and white, though the franchise has not yet announced a nickname or mascot.
Fans can begin placing deposits for season tickets starting Tuesday, while the team begins recruiting players and staff.
