Athens will soon have its very own professional hockey team.
On Thursday, The Classic Center and Athens Professional Hockey came together, announced the team’s start date of October 26 and celebrated the occasion.
“Can you believe it? Hockey has finally come to Athens, Georgia,” Classic Center president and CEO Paul Cramer said.
This team will be the second professional team to come to Athens since the Classic City Rollergirls were founded in 2006. The team, which does not yet have a name, will play in the newly remodeled Classic Center, which will finish construction sometime in October according to APH executive vice president Scott Hull.
Hull announced that the team is between four different names: The Athenians, Rock Lobsters, Athens Owls or the Classic City Panic. Hull added that there will be a final fan vote to select the name.
Hull said that the group asked for names from fans, and after a meeting with fellow executives settled on the four. While he wouldn’t name his favorite, he was happy with the selection.
“The one I really like is on there, so I’m pumped,” Hull said.
With the season about seven months away, Hull and the rest of the executives have already begun to set up the team. Hull said they have a short list for head coaches, and when that person is hired, they’ll begin to fill out the roster.
With the completion of the Classic Center renovations, the UGA Ice Dawgs, alongside Georgia’s second-year women’s club hockey team will also have a new home arena to compete in.
Danny Bryant, the Classic Center Arena general manager, thanked head coach John Camp and both the men’s and women’s team for supporting the renovations of the Classic Center and the upcoming professional team.
It’s unclear if there’ll be a pipeline for former Ice Dawgs to compete for Athens Professional Hockey, but it’s something Hull wouldn’t be opposed to.
“It’s always an option and I can’t wait to see them play too,” Hull said. “I haven’t been able to see them play, but once they get going, would love to come out. Obviously, we’re gonna be heavily involved with them.”
The team will be a part of the Federal Prospects Hockey League after previously being announced to join the East Coast Hockey League. Hull said Athens Professional Hockey “explored our options” and decided that there was a lot of…
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