Where Could the SPHL Expand Next? (9-19-25)
By: Joey Raymond
Headline Photo Credit: SPHL
With the newest addition to the SPHL heading to Mobile, AL, I figured a fun way to welcome in the new guys is with a practice that in retrospect means nothing. Let’s play the game of, “Now that the SPHL has expanded to one city, what other possible locations that the league move to?” After all, isn’t playing the hypothetical the most fun? I mean, I’m just a humble writer who doesn’t make a lot of money, so it’s not like I could ever afford to put a team anywhere—but by golly, I like research and I like expansion, so here we go!
For just a bit of background: I cover the SPHL’s Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs regularly and have been a fan of the league long before I was a writer. I’d love to call myself a stadium connoisseur, but truthfully I’m just a nerd with a weird niche hobby: loving teams, stadiums, and the way sports can shape a community. Take the Rail Yard Dawgs for example—when they came to Roanoke, a city with deep hockey roots, they tapped into that history and gave the fans something to rally around. These “Cardiac Canines” (shoutout to Mitch Stewart for that nickname) have become a cornerstone of the community. It’s proof that in the right market, a team can do more than just survive—it can thrive.
So, when Mobile was announced, I thought, “Man, this makes a lot of sense.” A new arena, strong ownership, a proven sports town—SPHL 101. But then I had to ask myself: where else could the league go? Using some criteria—mid-sized cities, strong minor league appetite, available arenas, and reasonable travel distances—I dug into a few candidates. Here’s what I found.
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville checks a lot of boxes. With a metro population of over 1.2 million and a past hockey history (the RiverFrogs and Icehawks), it would instantly be one of the largest markets in the SPHL. Broadbent Arena, seating about 6,000, could be adapted for hockey and is about the right size for this level. Add in the fact that Evansville is right down the road and you’ve got a natural rivalry. The downside? If you decided on the bigger arena, the KFC Yum! Center, it is far too big and expensive, and Louisville is still very much a basketball-first town. But if the right ownership group came in, the market is there.
Lexington, Kentucky
If Louisville is the big, flashy option, Lexington feels like the more natural fit for the SPHL. With a metro population of about 330,000, it’s more in line with existing SPHL markets like Knoxville. There’s also the built-in rivalry with Tennessee thanks to the UK–UT college sports connection. The main issue is arena availability—Rupp Arena is too large, and while the AllTech Arena could potentially work, it would need upgrades. Still, the combination of a sports-crazed city, a younger demographic, and central geography could make Lexington a sleeper hit.
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi already has hockey in the form of the FPHL’s Sea Wolves, but the Mississippi Coast Coliseum has proven it can host higher-level hockey. The SPHL actually crowned a champion here before (the Surge in 2010), and the Gulf Coast tourism economy could help sustain fan interest. The challenge is stability: previous teams have folded due to financial struggles, and the SPHL would need strong ownership to make it work. Still, if a step up from the FPHL ever made sense, Biloxi feels ready.
Jackson, Mississippi
If Biloxi has the history, Jackson has the population. With nearly 150,000 residents and the 7,000-seat Mississippi Coliseum, this state capital could be the safer long-term play. It once hosted ECHL hockey, so the infrastructure is in place. The drawback is the lack of an existing hockey culture—but every market has to start somewhere, and with Jackson’s size, the SPHL might be able to cultivate something sustainable.
Columbia, South Carolina
South Carolina already supports strong hockey markets in Greenville and Charleston (both in the ECHL), but Columbia could be a solid SPHL entry point. The Colonial Life Arena is massive at 18,000 seats, but it could be curtained off to fit a minor league hockey crowd. Columbia also has hockey history—the ECHL’s Inferno called it home for over a decade. Its central location makes travel easy, but the oversized arena and competition from bigger sports could be hurdles.
Florence, South Carolina
Florence is the smaller-market alternative to Columbia, and it’s a city with hockey roots of its own. The Pee Dee Pride played here in the ECHL from 1997 to 2005, and the Florence Center is better suited to SPHL crowds. The challenge is that Florence is only a city of 40,000, which limits its corporate base. But being positioned between Columbia and Myrtle Beach could help draw from the surrounding areas.
Charleston, West Virginia
Moving north, Charleston has potential thanks to its central location and strong arena in the Charleston Coliseum. As the state capital, it has the population base, but the building is almost too big—14,000 seats for an SPHL game could feel cavernous. The city has hosted minor league sports before, but the local economy might not be as strong as other candidates.
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington feels like a throwback choice. The Mountain Health Arena (formerly Big Sandy Superstore Arena) has a history with the ECHL’s Huntington Blizzard, and Marshall University gives the city a college-town energy. The market size is small and past hockey efforts didn’t last, but the arena size is a decent match, and if marketed right, Huntington could work.
Richmond, Virginia
And finally, we arrive at Richmond—a city fans in Virginia have been asking about for years. With a metro population of over 1.3 million, it would instantly become one of the SPHL’s biggest markets. The history is undeniable: the Richmond Renegades were once ECHL champions, and the city has proven it can support hockey. The issue is the arena situation—the Richmond Coliseum is closed, and alternative venues are too small. Until a new facility is built, Richmond is stuck in limbo. But if that hurdle were cleared, Richmond could not only return to pro hockey—it could become one of the SPHL’s flagship franchises.
So, where should the SPHL go next? Honestly, there isn’t a single “right” answer here. Every city I’ve mentioned brings something unique to the table. Louisville has size, Lexington has culture, Biloxi has history, Jackson has growth potential, Columbia and Florence bring Carolina charm, Charleston and Huntington offer small-town grit, and Richmond has the big-market energy—if it can figure out its arena situation.
The fun part of expansion talk is that none of it is set in stone. The SPHL has always been about finding the right mix of passion, community support, and practicality, and if you look back at Roanoke, Knoxville, or even Peoria, you can see how different kinds of markets can succeed when the formula is right.
At the end of the day, this is less about guessing where the league will go and more about imagining where it could go. Whether it’s Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, West Virginia, or Virginia, each option has its strengths and weaknesses. But if Mobile has shown us anything, it’s that the SPHL is still growing, still thriving, and still finding new corners of the South (and beyond) to bring hockey to. And that’s the kind of game I’ll keep happily playing—hypothetical or not.
