Hockey To Return To Mobile

The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) announced that they will expand to Mobile, Alabama for the 2027-2028 season.  The Mobile franchise will play at a new 10,000-seat downtown arena currently under construction.  Mobile was home to the Mobile Mysticks for seven seasons (1995-2002) in the ECHL.  

The Mysticks had five winning seasons in Mobile while making the playoffs five times.  Their best season was in 2000-2001 when they advanced to the second round losing to the South Carolina Stingrays in five games.  They suspended operations after the 2002 season and moved to Georgia to become the Gwinnett Gladiators (now Atlanta Gladiators).  

The SPHL has been around since 2004 and currently has 10 teams.  The closest natural rivals would be the Pensacola (Florida) Ice Pilots and two in-state teams - Birmingham Bulls and Huntsville Havoc.

In addition to hockey, Mobile also had other teams including the Mobile Revelers in the NBA Developmental League (now the G-League) as well as a few indoor football teams.