KUHN: SPIRE HOCKEY SOUTH ACQUIRES MAJORITY STAKE IN GREENVILLE SWAMP RABBITS
BY: Jordan Kuhn, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
GREENVILLE, S.C. (May 15, 2020) — The ECHL Board of Governors voted unanimously to accept the purchase of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits organization by Spire Hockey South, a subsidiary of Spire Hockey owned by Jeff Dickerson, T.J. Puchyr, Tom Long and Chip Ganassi. Spire Hockey South will own a majority stake in the Greenville franchise while former majority owners Doug Heinzer, Mike Panaggio, and Bjarne Borg will maintain a minority interest in the team.
Headquartered just outside Charlotte in Cornelius, N.C., Spire Hockey is a subsidiary of Spire Holdings. Spire Holdings is a diversified sports and entertainment organization that pushes the boundaries of traditional marketing to foster business growth in the rapidly-changing 21st century. Through a diversified collection of businesses, Spire Holdings delivers value through consulting, representation, and property management.
Spire Holdings portfolio of business includes ownership positions with Spire Sports + Entertainment, Spire Motorsports, Spire Property + Talent, Track Enterprises, fellow ECHL Member Club the Rapid City (S.D.) Rush and Good Hemp, Inc.
“This is an exciting day for us and there are several people that deserve our gratitude as this process reached its conclusion yesterday,” said Dickerson. “I want to thank Doug, Mike, and Bjarne for their significant investment in the team. Without them, there isn’t hockey in Greenville and this opportunity doesn’t exist. I also want to thank Beth Paul and the Arena District Board for welcoming us with open arms, sharing in our vision, and becoming partners in making hockey flourish in Greenville. We believe in this league and we believe in hockey in South Carolina. As Carolinians ourselves, we have immense pride in this region, in this community, and Greenville deserves a team that is the envy of the league. We’re asking the community to join us in letting the rest of the country know that Greenville is an amazing place to live, play and win. We’re looking forward to making the community proud.”
Todd Mackin takes over the lead of operations for the Swamp Rabbits and has begun to build his front office in Greenville. Announcements are forthcoming as the Swamp Rabbits welcome key executives and personnel as Spire leads the organization forward. As President of Spire Hockey, Mackin led an immediate turnaround of the Rapid City Rush. The team saw group ticket sales surge, average attendance increased by over 20%, and relationships were strengthened with over 100 corporate partners and 50 community organizations. Mackin’s role with the Rush will not change.
The Swamp Rabbits will drop the puck on the new relationship as a co-sponsor of Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series The Real Heroes 400 at Darlington Raceway. As part of the partnership, the Swamp Rabbits, Bon Secours, and Spire Motorsports will participate in The Real Heroes Project, honoring healthcare workers through the power of sports.
The Swamp Rabbits livery will adorn the hood, rear quarter panels and tail of the team’s Chevy Camaro while Greenville-based Bon Secours frontline healthcare worker Stacey Anne Wilson’s name will be displayed above the driver’s door.
The Swamp Rabbits are slated to kick off the 2020–21 season at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena October 16 versus the Toledo Walleye.
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SEASON TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!
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GEAR UP!
Check out the brand-new “Greenville Strong” and “Our State” t-shirts, with proceeds going to the ECHL’s COVID-19 Relief Fund, or the GGHA, depending on the shirt design. Head to the Hop Shop online today and give ’em a look.
