Peoria Rivermen will have new opponent from Georgia in 2026-27 season

PEORIA — The SPHL will have 11 active teams in the 2026-27 season, with the addition of a new organization from northeast Georgia.

The Athens Rock Lobsters are moving up from the low-A Federal Prospects Hockey League to join the high-A SPHL lineup.

The SPHL is also adding Mobile, Alabama, to its league lineup, although that team will not play until 2027-28, when work on a new arena is finished.

"We're always excited for the growth of our league," Peoria Rivermen co-owner Bart Rogers said. "Especially into a place with a new building, and great ownership. Athens has all the attributes to be successful."

The league is still working on whether there will he a dispersal draft for the incoming Rock Lobsters team.

The Rock Lobsters play in Akins Ford Arena, an 8,000-seat facility in downtown Athens that opened in 2024.

The team's name is homage to the market's music scene and the song "Rock Lobster" by The B-52s.

Athens Rock Lobsters joining the SPHL.

Who owns the Lobsters?

It is owned by Spire Motorsports, a NASCAR race team that also owns class-AA ECHL teams Rapid City, Greenville and Trois-Rivieres (Quebec).

The team president is Scott Hull, and the vice president is Bob McNamara.

The latter is the former general manager of two-time SPHL champion Evansville, and has a long pro hockey resume that includes president/GM/governor roles with the former Quad City Mallards, Hamilton (AHL), Grand Rapids (AHL) and Cleveland (IHL) teams.

Athens went 44-11-1 as a division champion in the FPHL this season before elimination in the first round of the playoffs. Its roster included former Rivermen center John Kaljian.

"On behalf of the Board of Governors, I am excited to welcome Athens to the SPHL," SPHL commissioner Doug Price said. "From their first season, the Rock Lobsters have demonstrated what a successful franchise looks like: Strong ownership, a fantastic arena, and a passionate fan base.