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{{more citations needed|date=September 2020}}
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[[Image:Roanoke Valley Vipers.png|right|200px]]
{{Infobox Pro hockey team
| text_color = black
| bg_color = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#473899 5px solid; border-bottom:#adafc9 5px solid;
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| team = Roanoke Valley Vipers
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| logo = Roanoke Valley Vipers.png
| logosize = 220px
| city = [[Roanoke, Virginia]]
| league = [[United Hockey League]]
| conference =
| division =
| founded = [[2002–03 UHL season|2002]]
| arena = [[Roanoke Civic Center]]
| colors = Purple, silver, black, white <br />{{color box|#473899}} {{color box|#adafc9}} {{color box|black}} {{color box|white}}
| owner =
| GM =
| coach =
| captain =
| media =
| affiliates =
<!---Franchise history--->
| name1 = [[Port Huron Beacons]]
| dates1 = 2002–2005
| name2 = '''Roanoke Valley Vipers'''
| dates2 = 2005–2006
<!---Championships--->
| reg_season_titles =
| division_titles =
| conf_titles =
}}
The '''Roanoke Valley Vipers''' were a minor professional [[ice hockey]] team located in [[Roanoke, Virginia]]. They were a member of the [[United Hockey League]] and played in the [[Roanoke Civic Center]].


The '''Roanoke Valley Vipers''' were a professional [[ice hockey]] team located in [[Roanoke, Virginia]]. They were formed for the 2005-06 season, mainly to fill the gap after the [[ECHL]]'s [[Roanoke Express]] disbanded and to provide a travel partner near the [[Richmond RiverDogs]]. They were a member of the [[United Hockey League]] and played in the [[Roanoke Civic Center]]. They were formed in 2002 as the [[Port Huron Beacons]] and played there in [[McMorran Arena]] in [[Port Huron, Michigan]] through the end of the 2004-05 season. They were unsuccessful on and off the ice, with a losing record in their lone season in Virginia and an average attendance of about 1,000 fans in an arena with a capacity of over 9,000. Local fans complained about high ticket prices and a lower level of play than the ECHL. The midwestern focus of the UHL also made rivalries less intense than they had been with the southeastern and mid-atlantic teams of the ECHL. The owners and their marketing plans were frequently criticized by local media. Local interest in hockey had also failed to recover after the demise of the Express. The Vipers folded on May 15, 2006, shortly after the RiverDogs departed Richmond and became the [[Chicago Hounds]].
The franchise was formed in 2002 as the [[Port Huron Beacons]] and played in [[McMorran Arena]] in [[Port Huron, Michigan]], through the end of the 2004–05 season. The franchise was relocated to Roanoke for the 2005–06 season, filling the void left after the [[ECHL]]'s [[Roanoke Express]] disbanded and to provide a travel partner near the [[Richmond RiverDogs]]. While professional ice hockey had been previously played and successful in the [[Virginia]]n towns of Roanoke, [[Salem, Virginia|Salem]] and [[Vinton, Virginia|Vinton]] since 1967,<ref>{{cite book|first=Jon C.|last=Scott|title=Hockey Night in Dixie: Minor Pro Hockey in the American South|year=2006|publisher=Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd.|pages=3–35|isbn=1-894974-21-2|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/hockeynightindix0000stot}}</ref> the Vipers were unsuccessful on and off the ice with a losing record in their lone season in Virginia and an average attendance of about 1,000 fans in an arena with a capacity of over 9,000. Local fans complained about high ticket prices and a lower level of play than the ECHL.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}} The midwestern focus of the UHL also made rivalries less intense than they had been with the southeastern and mid-Atlantic teams of the ECHL.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}} The owners and their marketing plans were frequently criticized by local media.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}


The Vipers folded on May 15, 2006, shortly after the RiverDogs moved to Chicago and became the [[Chicago Hounds (ice hockey team)|Chicago Hounds]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 15, 2006 |title=Roanoke Valley Vipers cease operations |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/roanoke-valley-vipers-cease-operations/n-3311038 |access-date=October 5, 2022 |website=OurSports Central |language=en}}</ref>
The [[Southern Professional Hockey League]] is possibly looking to bring hockey back to the [[Roanoke Valley]] in the near future.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}

==Background==
Professional ice hockey has been played in the [[Virginia]]n towns of [[Roanoke, Virginia|Roanoke]], [[Salem, Virginia|Salem]] and [[Vinton, Virginia|Vinton]] since 1967. Teams have been members of the [[All-American Hockey League]], the [[Atlantic Coast Hockey League]] , the [[Eastern Hockey League]] and the [[Southern Hockey League (1973–1977)|Southern Hockey League]]. The [[Virginia Lancers]] were a charter member of the [[East Coast Hockey League]] in 1988, later known as the [[Roanoke Valley Rebels]] and [[Roanoke Valley Rampage]] before moving to Huntsville, Alabama after the 1992-93 season. That franchise is still alive today as the ECHL's [[Utah Grizzlies]]. The [[Roanoke Express]] filled the gap, joining the ECHL for the 1993-94 season and playing through the 2003-04 season. In the spring of 2005, the [[United Hockey League]] awarded an expansion franchise to Roanoke.<ref>{{cite book|first=Jon C.|last=Scott|title=Hockey Night in Dixie: Minor Pro Hockey in the American South|year=2006|publisher=Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd.|pages=3–35|isbn=1894974212}}</ref>


==Notable players==
==Notable players==
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* [[Matt Elich]]
* [[Matt Elich]]
* [[Alexander Erofeev]]
* [[Alexander Erofeev]]
* [[Rob Kapuscinski]]
* [[Sean Starke]]


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:Sports in Roanoke, Virginia]]
[[Category:Sports in Roanoke, Virginia]]
[[Category:Defunct ice hockey teams in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct ice hockey teams in the United States]]
[[Category:Ice hockey teams in Virginia]]
[[Category:Defunct ice hockey teams in Virginia]]
[[Category:Sports clubs established in 2005]]
[[Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 2005]]
[[Category:Sports clubs disestablished in 2006]]
[[Category:Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 2006]]
[[Category:2005 establishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:2006 disestablishments in Virginia]]


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{{US-icehockey-team-stub}}


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{{US-icehockey-team-stub}}
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[[de:Roanoke Valley Vipers]]
{{Virginia-sport-team-stub}}

Latest revision as of 15:12, 25 April 2024

Roanoke Valley Vipers
CityRoanoke, Virginia
LeagueUnited Hockey League
Founded2002
Home arenaRoanoke Civic Center
ColorsPurple, silver, black, white
       
Franchise history
2002–2005Port Huron Beacons
2005–2006Roanoke Valley Vipers

The Roanoke Valley Vipers were a minor professional ice hockey team located in Roanoke, Virginia. They were a member of the United Hockey League and played in the Roanoke Civic Center.

The franchise was formed in 2002 as the Port Huron Beacons and played in McMorran Arena in Port Huron, Michigan, through the end of the 2004–05 season. The franchise was relocated to Roanoke for the 2005–06 season, filling the void left after the ECHL's Roanoke Express disbanded and to provide a travel partner near the Richmond RiverDogs. While professional ice hockey had been previously played and successful in the Virginian towns of Roanoke, Salem and Vinton since 1967,[1] the Vipers were unsuccessful on and off the ice with a losing record in their lone season in Virginia and an average attendance of about 1,000 fans in an arena with a capacity of over 9,000. Local fans complained about high ticket prices and a lower level of play than the ECHL.[citation needed] The midwestern focus of the UHL also made rivalries less intense than they had been with the southeastern and mid-Atlantic teams of the ECHL.[citation needed] The owners and their marketing plans were frequently criticized by local media.[citation needed]

The Vipers folded on May 15, 2006, shortly after the RiverDogs moved to Chicago and became the Chicago Hounds.[2]

Notable players

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Scott, Jon C. (2006). Hockey Night in Dixie: Minor Pro Hockey in the American South. Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd. pp. 3–35. ISBN 1-894974-21-2.
  2. ^ "Roanoke Valley Vipers cease operations". OurSports Central. May 15, 2006. Retrieved October 5, 2022.


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