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The USPHL: Financial Strength Underwrites A Unique Cradle to College Hockey Model

By Joshua Boyd / USPHL.com, 04/23/20, 12:45PM EDT

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Nation's largest amateur hockey league well-positioned to weather COVID storm

The United States Premier Hockey League will approach its eighth season of operations with the same mission as when it opened play in 2013: Provide the best hockey development model within a framework that maximizes exposure to college hockey coaches. The USPHL will continue its player development success long after the present-day coronavirus/COVD-19 pandemic passes, as the league’s finances are not by and large tied to ticket sales and corporate sponsorships. Most of the USPHL’s ownership groups not only own their teams, but also own the rinks in which these teams operate, creating the perfect hybrid of top-flight facilities and high-intensity hockey.

The USPHL’s “Players First” approach has proven among the greatest hockey success stories of the last decade, as the league has sent more than 2,500 players to college hockey and over 250 on to pro hockey, including the NHL. This will continue as the USPHL nears the 10-year mark, and as the Tier-2 Tuition-Free National Collegiate Development Conference opens its fourth year of operations.

“The Rink Ownership model of the USPHL organizations eliminates the need for a fan-based economic model and the uncertainty that comes along with the potential revenue deficiencies of a decreasing fan base,” said Commissioner and Islanders Hockey Club owner Richard Gallant. “The USPHL business model includes large scale team programs, a host of other on-ice rink programing revenues and other ancillary offerings like concessions, which allows the USPHL programs to invest with surety in the league’s player development model,” Gallant added. “When the rinks reopen this summer under new social distancing guidelines, the USPHL owners can guarantee their teams will be back in business.”

Read the full story at www.usphl.com

 

About The USPHL

The United States Premier Hockey League of 2020-21 will be the nation’s largest amateur ice hockey league and the only league to span the continental United States and parts of Canada.  The USPHL will field approximately 550 teams representing over 100 organizations comprised of 11,000 players spanning the ages of 6 through 20. 

Overall, across all of its divisions, the USPHL had more than 1,200 alumni playing college hockey in 2019-20 and more than 250 playing pro hockey, including in the NHL.