Hockey Returning to Ford Center – Winnecke Announces Deal with SPHL

Mayor Lloyd Winnecke held a press conference Monday afternoon to announce the City had come to an agreement with the North Carolina-based Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) that will keep hockey at the Ford Center for the foreseeable future.

The Mayor's office recapped the announcement through a series of tweets.

According to the Mayor, the owner of the new franchise is local business solutions consultant Mike Hall of Evansville. The St. Wendell resident, and North Posey graduate was a three-sport athlete in high school, and was a member of the now-defunct University of Evansville football team.

Hall was present at the press conference and made a brief statement.

Mayor Winnecke also addressed the availability of tickets for the upcoming season:

The Mayor also made a point to take the high road when it came to the Ford Center's current (and soon to be former) tenant, the Evansville IceMen:

Unlike the ECHL, the SPHL is not affiliated with the AHL or NHL.

What wasn't mentioned during the announcement was what the new team will be known as. The IceMen owner, Ron Geary, has the rights to the name and will presumably keep it when they officially move to Owensboro at the conclusion of this season.