The ECHL announced on Friday that the League’s Board of Governors has approved the expansion application of Rio Rancho, New Mexico for admittance into the League. The club will begin play in the 2026-27 Season.
 
REV Entertainment’s Sports Management division will oversee all team operations. The Dallas Stars will serve as hockey operations consultants to REV Entertainment for the launch of the team. REV currently operates two teams in the American Association of Professional Baseball – the Cleburne Railroaders and Kane County Cougars – and previously served as a managing partner for the ECHL’s Allen Americans.
 
The team’s official name will be determined through a “Name the Team” contest, now open to fans at NMProHockey.com.
 
“It is with great pleasure that the League welcomes REV Entertainment, and the New Mexico region, to the ECHL as our 31st Member Team, as we progress the growth of the League to align with the National Hockey League and American Hockey League,” said ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin. “REV has a proven track record of managing professional sports teams at the highest level, and we are thrilled with their commitment to bring professional hockey back to the state of New Mexico. This expansion speaks to the growth of our game throughout the continent, and will be an exciting addition to our rivalries in the Mountain Division, and a geographic fit for Affiliation development.”
 
“Today marks a significant milestone for REV Entertainment and the ECHL,” said REV Entertainment President Sean Decker. “We are incredibly excited to bring professional hockey back to New Mexico and to expand the ECHL’s footprint with the league’s 31st Member. The Rio Rancho community has a rich history with the sport, and we look forward to building a team that will be a source of pride for fans across the region. We can’t wait to drop the puck in 2026!”
 
The New Mexico Professional Hockey Club will begin play in the 2026-27 Season at the Rio Rancho Events Center, a 7,000-seat arena located less than 30 miles from Albuquerque, New Mexico. The arena previously hosted the Central Hockey League’s New Mexico Scorpions from 2006-09 and the North American Hockey League’s New Mexico Mustangs from 2010-12. The venue continues to host sporting events, concerts, and other live entertainment.
 
About the ECHL
 
Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 29 teams in 22 states and one Canadian province for its 37th season in 2024-25. There have been 768 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 16 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2024-25 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 29 of the 32 NHL teams in 2024-25, marking the 27th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com.
 
About REV Entertainment
 
REV Entertainment is a full-service company with entities focused on enhancing the sports and entertainment industry nationwide: REV Events, REV Sports Management, and REV Sports Marketing. These verticals are focused on driving revenue, booking venues, generating development, operating professional sports franchises, venue management, and more. REV Sports Management division is focused on team and venue management, serving as the managing partner of three professional sports franchises – the Cleburne Railroaders and Kane County Cougars of the American Association of Professional Baseball, and the New Mexico Professional Hockey Club of the ECHL. For more information, visit REVEntertainment.com.  
 
Sign up for our email newsletter to be the first to know about ECHL news!

source