MOLINE, Illinois -- Hockey will remain in the Quad Cities for the 24th consecutive year, the executive director of the TaxSlayer Center announced Wednesday afternoon.
TaxSlayer Executive Director Scott Mullen said that the 7,000 fan-strong showing at the last Mallards game was the biggest attendance of the year, sending a strong message that hockey is a beloved sport in the Quad Cities.
The new team, whose name will be chosen by fans, is from the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). The ECHL has claimed ownership of the Mallards name.
The SPHL's commissioner Jim Combs introduced the league as community-service oriented with a video showing other teams volunteering in their respective cities.
Howard Cornfield, the former Mallards owner, introduced the new team's owners: John Dawson and Ryan Mosley. Not only are they local, they were Mallards season ticket holders.
Dawson and Mosley's next steps will be to hire a general manager, front office staff, and coaching staff.
Cornfield said season tickets will go on sale next week and those who placed a deposit down in April get first bid.