Maryland group starts movement to bring ECHL team to Frederick

A grassroots community effort is trying to bring a professional hockey team back to the Old Line State.

Pro Hockey MD, “a collective of local creatives, business owners, and residents,” is in phase one of their plan to get the ECHL to bring a new franchise to Frederick, Maryland. The group’s goal is to drum up enough support for the movement through Frederick, Howard County, and the entire state to eventually reach consultants and investors for a future pro hockey club.

The movement’s website cites data that shows Fredrick as an equivalent or better market than many of the ECHL’s current teams. They also mention how every state along the East Coast has had some form of professional hockey since 2000 except for Maryland.

The site also features preliminary arena plans for a building on Stadium Drive in Frederick directly adjacent to Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium where the Frederick Keys play baseball.

The renderings show off a 5,000-seat venue with space included for the potential involvement of Hood College Athletics, a professional basketball team, concerts, and restaurants.

Additionally factored into those renderings is a “Community Ice Rink” featuring two NHL regulation-sized ice sheets, seating for 1,200 people on each rink, pro shops, other retail space, concessions, a public gym, and team offices.

As of now, the arena renderings are aspirational and part of an effort to galvanize support as there are no concrete plans to move forward.

Pro Hockey MD currently boasts partnerships with Attaboy Barrel House, Hood College Ice Hockey, Big Celly Hockey Co., the Frederick Keys, and Flying Cows Basketball. They held their launch party at Attaboy, featuring a ball hockey tournament.

Their next event is the “Big Celly Open” golf tournament at Whiskey Creek Golf Club in October.

RMNB is told they’re also going to participate at the Keys’ Hockey Day on July 12.

The last Pro Hockey franchise in Maryland was the Chesapeake Ice Breakers, who played in the ECHL at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Maryland from 1997 to 1999. The state has been home to several other franchises in the past, including the Baltimore Clippers (AHL, SPHL), Baltimore Skipjacks (EHL, ACHL, AHL), and Baltimore Bandits (AHL).

Maryland’s current highest level of hockey comes via the NAHL’s Maryland Black Bears. The junior team,…