Rev Entertainment to launch new franchise at Rio Rancho Events Center; community reaction strong as state reenters pro hockey market
Rev Entertainment to launch new franchise at Rio Rancho Events Center; community reaction strong as state reenters pro hockey market
Rev Entertainment to launch new franchise at Rio Rancho Events Center; community reaction strong as state reenters pro hockey market
Professional hockey is officially skating back into New Mexico. After a nearly 15-year absence in the state, ECHL announced it will add an expansion team in Rio Rancho beginning in the 2026 season.
The franchise, tentatively called the New Mexico Pro Hockey Club, will become the 31st member of the ECHL, a professional hockey league that feeds into the National Hockey League (NHL). The team will play its home games at the Rio Rancho Events Center, which last hosted professional hockey during the days of the New Mexico Scorpions — who folded in 2009 — and then briefly the Tier II Junior A team New Mexico Mustangs until the end of the 2011 season.
“Ladies and gentlemen, pro hockey is back. Let’s go,” an announcer declared during a celebratory press conference on Tuesday.
ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin praised the Rio Rancho Events Center during Tuesday’s introductory news conference, which already includes the infrastructure necessary for professional hockey.
“It’s ice-ready, has had professional hockey before, and in fact, this building layout—our team in Kansas City and our team at Allen [Texas] — is almost identical,” said Crelin. “So we know this size can work.”
The team will be owned by REV Entertainment, a sports and entertainment company affiliated with the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball. REV says it will consult with the NHL’s Dallas Stars to develop operational expertise, though the Stars will not serve as the team’s official NHL affiliate.
“They’re gonna help us on facilities, equipment, players, staffing — all of the things that go into that,” said Rev Entertainment’s Sean Decker. “They’re also gonna help us find an affiliate.”
For some longtime hockey fans in the state, Tuesday’s announcement was a dream come true.
“It was a sad day for Rio Rancho,” said Wayne Oliver, recalling the day the Scorpions ceased operations. A former season-ticket holder, Oliver said he and his wife are thrilled to see the puck drop again.
“This is great. This is awesome because me and my wife both love hockey,” he said. A contest to name the team is expected to be held this summer, with the final name to be announced later in the year. Coaching staff will be hired in the spring of 2026, ahead of the team’s first season in the ECHL.
The return of pro hockey marks a significant moment for New Mexico sports — and a second chance for a region eager to reclaim its place on the ice.
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