The IX Sports Acquires The Ice Garden to Enhance Women’s Sports Coverage
In a strategic move aimed at bolstering its offerings, The IX Sports, a media organization focused on women’s sports, has announced its acquisition of The Ice Garden, a publication dedicated to women’s hockey. This acquisition comes just two months after The IX Sports secured an investment from Monumental Sports, which is expected to catalyze further growth and development.
The Ice Garden: A New Frontier
Since its inception in 2016, The Ice Garden had operated as an independent entity following its separation from Vox Media and SB Nation in 2023. Under the leadership of managing editor Mike Murphy, the publication will maintain its editorial autonomy while The IX Sports assumes business operations. Although financial details of the transaction remain undisclosed, founder Howard Megdal indicated that the financial backing will enable significant growth for The Ice Garden.
Capital Investments and Strategic Hiring
The recent investment from Monumental Sports has also led to the recruitment of two full-time employees for The IX Sports, including former WNBA player Bella Alarie, who joins as senior VP of sales and marketing. Historically, The IX Sports has relied on subscriber revenue; however, the growing interest from brands in women’s sports sponsorships presents new opportunities. Notably, women’s sports experienced a 12% increase in sponsorship deals in 2024, as reported by SponsorUnited.
Future Aspirations
Alarie expressed optimism regarding expansion plans, stating, “We’re hoping to add more sports in 2026. The market potential is massive with women’s ice hockey, as with plenty of other sports that we hope to cover in the future.”
Current Operations and Achievements
Launched in 2019 by seasoned journalist Howard Megdal, The IX Sports has made significant strides since its introduction of a women’s basketball vertical in 2020. The platform boasts an impressive reach, having engaged over 30 million readers throughout 2024 and producing more than 100 articles monthly. Moreover, it has recorded an impressive 82% growth in free subscriber numbers over the past year. In addition to basketball, The IX Sports also covers various other sports, including golf, gymnastics, soccer, and tennis.
Commitment to Women’s Sports Journalism
Reflecting on the merger, Megdal remarked, “We want The IX Sports to be a place that pushes forward comprehensive coverage of women’s sports, and no one has done this work better in women’s hockey than The Ice Garden.” His vision seeks to provide quality coverage without forcing journalists to subsidize their reporting out of pocket.
Looking Ahead
This investment in ice hockey reporting is timely, coinciding with the onset of the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s third season, which will feature new expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver and build up to the 2026 Winter Olympics in February.
Murphy concluded with enthusiasm about the future, saying, “We had a little battery running this whole thing… By selling and working with Howard, we’re hooking up to a generator. More people are going to read our work, and all we’ve got to do is keep doing what we’ve already been doing.”
