Professional hockey is returning to Mobile.
The Southern Professional Hockey League is adding a minor-league expansion team to debut for the 2027-2028 season.
“We are excited and proud to bring professional hockey back to Mobile,” said Andy Kaufmann, the CEO of the new franchise, which will be owned and operated by Jacksonville, Fla.-based Zawyer Sports & Entertainment. “We will aim to place a competitive team on the ice while also providing a fun, family-friendly product as we usher in this new era of hockey in the city’s brand new arena.”
The new team doesn’t have a name yet, but you can enter ideas in an online contest.
The Mobile team will play home games at the new 10,000-seat civic center arena, which is currently under construction in downtown. The approximately $300 million sports and entertainment facility is expected to open by January 2027, and in time for Mardi Gras celebrations.
The team will debut in the fall of 2027, joining the same league where the Pensacola Ice Flyers have been members since 2009. The league features two teams in Alabama – the Birmingham Bulls, who play at the Pelham Civic Center, and Huntsville Havoc, who play their home games at the Von Braun Center.
The SPHL season typically begins in mid-October.
The Mobile team will be the first SPHL team added to Zawyer Sports’ portfolio that includes several members of the minor league East Coast Hockey League. Those teams are located in Jacksonville; Savannah, Georgia; and Greensboro, North Carolina.
The company also owns and operates the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League, which serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League.
“I am extremely excited to welcome Mobile and Zawyer Sports to the SPHL,” said SPHL Commissioner Doug Price. “Having gotten to know Andy over the last several years, he embodies not only a passion for hockey, but more importantly, a passion for the community, and he will be a tremendous addition to the SPHL.”
A “Name the Team” contest is currently ongoing . The aim is to give the community the chance to help create the team’s identity. Season ticket deposits are also being accepted.
The new franchise will begin assembling its roster and front office ahead of the 2027-2028 season. Additional details, including the team’s name, ticketing information, and community initiatives will be announced as the launch approaches.
Mobile was the previous home of the Mobile Mysticks of the ECHL. The Mysticks last competed 22 years ago. They played home games at the former Civic Center Arena from 1995 to 2002.
The Mobile team will not require another SPHL franchise to relocate. The North Carolina-based league, founded in 2004, includes teams throughout the Southeastern and Midwestern U.S.
The Ice Flyers play their home games at the Pensacola Bay Center, which is approximately a 53-minute drive to downtown Mobile.
“This is a perfect fit for Mobile and the Mobile Arena,” Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson said. “Zawyer’s teams have a strong track record of investing in the communities where they play, and I know Mobilians are eager to welcome professional hockey back with open arms.”
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