Federal Hockey League Launches in Key Northeastern Markets
Rome/Syracuse, Danbury, Thousand Islands, Ottawa to anchor A-level competition in 2010-11 season
SYRACUSE, N.Y., Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ — A new professional hockey league focused on strong local ownership delivering high-quality competition in affinity markets opens today in the northeastern U.S. and Canada.
The Federal Hockey League (FHL), sporting a red, white and blue shield-oriented logo, has confirmed franchises in four key cities and plans a six-team, 60-game schedule next year. The FHL is headed by Don Kirnan, Commissioner of the Empire Junior Hockey League. Kirnan, a member of USA Hockey’s Junior Council, is operating the league from his offices in Syracuse.
Charter teams in the league are located in Rome/Syracuse, NY; Danbury, CT; Thousand Islands, NY; and Ottawa, Canada. Ownership groups in Philadelphia and Jamestown, NY, have expressed interest in joining the league.
The league website – www.TheFederalHockeyLeague.com – is live.
“This combination of passionate, committed owners in hometown markets that care deeply about the sport has inspired me to take on the role of commissioner,” said Kirnan. “We’ve been in this sport for decades, we’ve learned how to do things right and we believe that our recovering economy will welcome this new business venture.”
The league’s sales and marketing function is headed by Executive Vice President of Marketing & Business Development Rich Lisk, the former General Manager of the Arena Football League’s (AFL) Philadelphia Soul, which won the AFL championship in 2008, averaging over 16,000 fans per game in America’s fourth-largest market.
Talent evaluation will begin immediately and culminate with a free agent camp during late summer in Syracuse. League play will start in the fall and continue into 2011 with playoffs and the inaugural championship series set for March.
The league will unveil team names, colors and logos and introduce business operations details in individual markets over the next month, as follows:
- Tuesday, Dec. 29 – Danbury
- Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010 – Thousand Islands
- Wednesday, Jan. 13 – Rome/Syracuse
- Tuesday, Jan. 19 – Ottawa
League-wide sponsorship sales efforts are already underway and team sponsorship and ticket sales will begin in accordance with the upcoming individual market press conferences.
Further information can be obtained through the website at www.TheFederalHockeyLeague.com or by calling 315 446 1238.
SOURCE Federal Hockey League