Pro Hockey Franchise In Springfield to Skip 2020-21 Season

SPRINGFIELD, MA — Ongoing safety and logistical concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic have prompted officials of the Springfield Thunderbirds franchise in the American Hockey League to opt out of playing during the upcoming 2020-21 season.

The Thunderbirds, one of three AHL teams to suspend play for the coming season, will maintain their status as active members of the league and return to play next season, according to an announcement from team president Nate Costa.

In late October, the AHL Board of Governors announced a delay to the start of the new season, with opening night slated for Feb. 5. In operation since 1936, the AHL serves as the top development league for all 31 NHL teams.

The top affiliate of the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues, the Thunderbirds began play in Springfield in 2016, after the Springfield Falcons moved to Tucson, Arizona. The Portland Pirates moved into the Mass Mutual Center and became the Thunderbirds.

Other AHL teams to suspend play for the upcoming year are the Charlotte Checkers and Milwaukee Admirals.

Pro hockey first came to Springfield in 1926, and has operated continuously in the city since 1954.

The complete letter from Costa, released on the franchise's website, is published below:

Dear Fans:

Today, the Springfield Thunderbirds in conjunction with our NHL Affiliate, the St. Louis Blues, made the difficult decision to opt out of play for the upcoming 2020-2021 season. Over the past few months, we have worked tirelessly with the Blues to explore every possible avenue for returning to play this season. Unfortunately, due to health and safety concerns, travel logistics, new player supply rules, and other considerations we collectively determined that it was in the best interests of all parties to opt out for this season.

Given the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts, it has also become clear that we will be unable to host fans, the lifeblood of our organization, at our games in the foreseeable future. As an independently-owned franchise, our foremost obligation is to ensure that our team is financially viable for the long term, something that is not possible without game day revenue. We have always had a long-term vision to bring T-Birds hockey to our entire community, and we feel that this decision, although painful right now, puts us in the best position to do so for many years to come.

Our organization has built one of the most exciting stories in all of professional hockey during the first four years as a franchise. We remain as committed as ever to building upon that success in Springfield, and we look forward to kicking off our long-term relationship with the St. Louis Blues next season. We know that this is not possible without all of you.

We want to thank our fans and community partners, the St. Louis Blues, the City of Springfield, the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, and all those who have both been helpful and supportive during this unprecedented time. We have already turned our attention to next season and are actively working with the Blues, our season ticket holders, and corporate partners to ensure that 2021-2022 is our strongest season yet.

We know this isn’t easy, and our entire front office misses seeing all of you at the arena more than you know. We really can’t wait to welcome you back next season to pack the Thunderdome once again.

Sincerely,
Nathan Costa
President, Springfield Thunderbirds

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