By Mickey Shuey and Mason King
Indiana Business Journal
Indianapolis is among several U.S. cities where parties have expressed interest in launching an expansion team in the National Hockey League, a news website for the sport reported Friday.
According to Daily Faceoff, the league informed its board of governors at its annual meeting on Wednesday that there were prospects for NHL expansion teams in Indianapolis, Atlanta, Houston and New Orleans. The league has told interested parties that the expansion fee is $2 billion.
However, two of the groups that could be most likely to be part of such a bid told IBJ on Saturday that they were not involved.
Larry McQueary, president of the Fishers-based Indy Fuel minor-league hockey team that’s affiliated with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, said that if talks are underway about bringing the top level of professional hockey to the area, neither the team nor its ownership are part of it.
“While the prospect of NHL expansion in Indy is exciting and great proof of the growth and dedication of our fan base, the Fuel remains an active participant in our affiliation with the Chicago Blackhawks and have no current involvement in a potential NHL franchise at this time,” McQueary said.
One of the biggest hurdles for landing an expansion team would be securing an arena suitable for the NHL. The Fuel play in the 8,500-seat Fishers Event Center, which would offer far less capacity than the 15,300-seat Canada Life Centre. That’s the smallest of the 32 NHL facilities.
A spokesperson for Fishers did not immediately return a request for comment. The Indiana Sports Corp. declined an IBJ request for a comment on the report.
Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis was specifically designed for basketball when it was first built. While the 25-year-old venue can accommodate a hockey configuration, doing so reduces the capacity to about 12,000 seats and places the ice off-center from the stands.
The venue, operated by Pacers Sports & Entertainment, already has a relatively full calendar, between the Indiana Pacers and a slate of concerts that overlap with the NHL season. The umbrella company for the Indiana Fever and Indiana Pacers basketball teams is also pursuing another sports venture, as it is playing a significant hand in the city’s ongoing push for Major League Soccer that Hogsett announced in April 2024.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the company told IBJ that “Pacers Sports & Entertainment hasn’t been part of any discussions involving the NHL in Indianapolis.”
A spokesperson Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration responded to IBJ’s question with a vague statement that did not explicitly deny involvement.
“It’s no surprise the NHL is interested in bringing a team to America’s greatest sports host city,” Aliya Wishner, director of communications for Hogsett, said in a statement. “We always welcome conversations about ways we can build on Indy’s sports and entertainment legacy.”
When asked to clarify whether the city had expressed interest in a club or had already engaged in discussions, Wishner referred back to the statement.
The initial Daily Faceoff report did not say who could be involved in such a push.
Referring to unnamed sources, Daily Faceoff also reported that Austin, Texas, was in the mix for an expansion team. The story was by Frank Seravalli, president of Daily Faceoff’s hockey content as well as president of the Professional Hockey Writers Association since 2019.
However, any talks about adding a franchise to the 32-team league appear to be in very early stages.
“We have no pending applications and we’re not seeking to initiate a formal process at this point,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is quoted as saying on Wednesday.
Of the four possible landing sites for an expansion team discussed with the board of governors, Atlanta’s interest is by far the most public and well-documented, according to Daily Faceoff.
On June 11, the Forsyth County Commission approved plans for a $3 billion-plus development called The Gathering at South Forsyth that would be anchored by an NHL-ready arena, according to Sportsnet.
The project is being spearheaded by Georgia-based Krause Sports and Entertainment. CEO Vernon Krause has been explicit about his intent to bring NHL hockey back to the city.
Atlanta has hosted two NHL franchises, with both ending in relocation to Canada. The Atlanta Flames became the Calgary Flames in 1980 after eight seasons, while the Atlanta Thrashers turned into the Winnipeg Jets in 2011.
The Indianapolis area has been home to several professional hockey teams in recent decades—most of them in the minor leagues.
Indianapolis’ first professional hockey team, the Capitals, made its debut in October 1939 and played in the newly constructed Indiana State Fair Coliseum, according to the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis.
The team was part of the American Hockey League and was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL. The team ceased operations in October 1952, after the Red Wings and the State Fair Board were unable to reach a long-term lease agreement for the Coliseum.
The Coliseum also was home to the Indianapolis Chiefs (1955-1962) and the Indianapolis Capitals (1963), which played only nine games before a massive explosion in October that year severely damaged the Coliseum.
In 1974, Indianapolis was awarded a franchise in the newly formed, major league World Hockey Association. The team was named the Racers, and its four-year existence was notable for the signing of 16-year-old Wayne Gretzky, who played eight games in Indianapolis at the beginning of his Hall of Fame career.
The Indianapolis Checkers had an eight-year stint, finishing its run as part of the International Hockey League. The Indianapolis Ice, also of the International Hockey League, began play in 1988 and ceased operations in 2004.
In 2014, the Indy Fuel began to play as part of the East Coast Hockey League under the ownership of local businessman Jim Hallett. Debuting at the Coliseum, the team now plays at the 8,500-capacity Fishers Event Center.
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