Zawyer Sports & Entertainment Announce Expansion ECHL Team in Greensboro, NC
The ECHL announced on Friday that the League’s Board of Governors has approved the expansion application of Greensboro, NC for admittance into the league. Set to begin play in the 2025-26 season, Greensboro, NC will be the ECHL’s 30th member club.
“The ECHL is proud to welcome our 30th Member by returning to the Greensboro, North Carolina market,” ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin said. “Greensboro holds a special place in the ECHL’s history and growth, and it will be a joyful moment to drop the puck once again in October 2025 and bring professional hockey back to the city for fans to once again cheer for their hometown team.”
The team, which will be named later, will be owned, managed and operated by Zawyer Sports & Entertainment. Zawyer Sports & Entertainment currently operates the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen, the Savannah Ghost Pirates, the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers and the Gastonia Baseball Club. The ownership group also serves as a consultant for the ECHL’s Tahoe Knight Monsters. In addition to sports franchises, Zawyer operates the Community First Igloo in Jacksonville, Ghost Pirates Ice in Savannah and 32 Degrees Marketing.
“We are very excited for the opportunity to launch an ECHL franchise in Greensboro,” Zawyer Sports CEO Andy Kaufmann said. "We look forward to turning Tournament Town into Hockey Town with a family-friendly atmosphere that will bring people together from all around the community."
First Horizon Coliseum (formerly Greensboro Coliseum) will be the home arena for the team with a capacity of over 22,000 fans. The iconic arena at the heart of Greensboro Complex has a long history of hosting prestigious events and providing world-class live entertainment. It previously housed two ECHL franchises: the Greensboro Monarchs (1989-1995) and the Greensboro Generals (1999-2004).
The ECHL is the premier “AA” hockey league and will embark on its 37th season in 2024-25. More than 700 players have graduated from the ECHL to the National Hockey League. ECHL alumni have been represented on Stanley Cup-champion rosters in 24 consecutive years. All 29 ECHL teams are currently affiliated with NHL teams; an affiliate for Greensboro Pro Hockey will be announced in the future.
A “Name the Team” contest is currently live on GreensboroProHockey.com for fans to submit ideas to name the franchise. For more information regarding Greensboro Pro Hockey, please head to the team’s website or contact info@greensboroprohockey.com