Panhandle city about to join SPHL

ORLANDO, FLA – After losing two of its franchises late last month, the Southern Professional Hockey League appears to be rebounding quite well. In an email sent to ProHockeyNews.com , it was announced that SPHL Commissioner Jim Combs and other members of the league’s Board of Governors will be in Pensacola, Florida next week for meetings with fans and the Escambia County commissioners regarding an application by an ownership group to put an SPHL franchise in the city. “We’re trying to get people enthused about bringing an SPHL team to Pensacola,” Combs said via phone. “We want to show everyone the positive impact the SPHL has had on our present cities and how we can do the same for them.” According to the email, Combs contacted Roy Wilkinson, the 2008-2009 president of the Ice Pilots Booster Club, about setting up a meeting for club members, season ticket holders from years gone by, youth and adult hockey league members and their families, members of SHIP (Save Hockey In Pensacola) and others who would like to see hockey back in the former ECHL city on Monday, April 6 at New York Nicks in Pensacola. Combs told PHN that there are actually two potential ownership groups that have come forward wanting to bring an SPHL team to Pensacola. The email sent out states that an ownership group – with names familiar to Pensacola – is in place and has submitted a lease agreement proposal to the county commissioners for the 2009-2010 season. It also said that a coach also known to fans in the city has been identified. Following the Monday gathering, Combs along with Huntsville Havoc Owner/President Keith Jeffries and possibly Columbus G.M./Coach and SPHL Board of Governors chairman Jerome Bechard, will be present at the county commissioners’ meeting on Thursday, April 9 at 9 A.M. to speak on behalf of the lease proposal and the ownership group. The news about Pensacola could not come at a more perfect time for SPHL fans as they have seen the Richmond Renegades close its doors and the Twin City Cyclones announce their intentions to leave Winston-Salem, NC in recent weeks. Stay with ProHockeyNews for more on this breaking news. Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com