Peoria Rivermen will have new opponent from Georgia in 2026-27 season
The Peoria Rivermen will have a new opponent in the 2026-27 season. Here's what to know about the newest SPHL team.
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.
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.