FPHL Launches New Integrity and Compliance Framework Under FedNext

Updated salary-cap standards, third-party reporting, consistent league review, and independent investigation support fair competition, accountability, and trust

BINGHAMTON, NY – The Federal Prospects Hockey League today announced a new Integrity and Compliance framework under FedNext, the league’s broader initiative to strengthen governance, modernize league operations, improve competitive standards, and support long-term growth.

The FPHL Board of Governors approved the framework on July 13, 2026, following an extensive policy-development and review process. The public FPHL Integrity Reporting Line will become effective on July 27, 2026, and the reporting-and-review process will apply prospectively to qualifying conduct occurring on or after that date.

The framework establishes updated salary-cap standards, clearer compensation-disclosure responsibilities, standardized compliance procedures, an independent third-party reporting channel, and a defined process for reviewing and investigating suspected violations.

Following direction from the Board of Governors, the league formed a Compensation Committee chaired by Ken Andrews. The committee met throughout planning for the 2026-27 season to identify known methods of salary-cap circumvention, evaluate potential loopholes, and develop rules that could be understood and administered consistently across the league.

Drafts were circulated among member teams and reviewed against real-world compensation scenarios. The framework was revised through multiple rounds of review and reflects input from teams representing different market sizes, regions, operating models, and stages of development.

“Competitive integrity requires clear rules, reliable information, and a fair process when concerns are raised,” Andrews said. “This framework gives teams and players better guidance before arrangements begin and creates a consistent way to address credible concerns when they arise.”

Clear Responsibilities for Teams and Players
Under the new framework, teams and players have defined responsibilities to disclose reportable compensation, benefits, employment arrangements, commissions, sponsorships, endorsements, and other covered arrangements.

Routine compensation disclosures, player certifications, requests for advance review, and other compliance filings will be handled through the league’s internal compliance processes. Those internal processes are separate from the public FPHL Integrity Reporting Line, which is reserved for suspected salary-cap violations and other defined serious ethics or integrity concerns.

Legitimate arrangements that are accurately and timely disclosed can be reviewed under the applicable league process. Intentional concealment, knowingly false reporting, sham arrangements, obstruction, retaliation, and deliberate salary-cap circumvention will be treated differently from good-faith administrative errors, misunderstandings, or promptly corrected omissions.

The framework is not intended to prevent legitimate opportunities for players. Its purpose is to ensure that covered arrangements are real, commercially reasonable, appropriately documented, and reported when required.

FPHL Integrity Reporting Line
As part of the framework, the FPHL has established a public Integrity Reporting Line using SAFE Hotline, an independent third-party intake service.

The reporting channel will be available to current and former players, team and league personnel, owners, sponsors, vendors, partners, service providers, witnesses, and other persons with relevant information.

Reports may be submitted online or by telephone. Anonymous reports will be accepted.

The Integrity Reporting Line is limited to:

Suspected FPHL salary-cap violations, including hidden, indirect, disguised, or unreported player compensation or benefits; and
Serious ethics or integrity misconduct directly connected to FPHL activities.

Reports must concern qualifying conduct occurring on or after July 27, 2026 and must contain specific firsthand information or credible supporting evidence.

Rumor, speculation, competitive suspicion, team rivalry, and unsupported accusations are insufficient. Routine fan feedback, officiating comments, customer-service matters, and ordinary hockey-operations concerns will be directed to a separate FPHL comments and feedback channel.

Reports will be handled through a private review process. The FPHL Integrity Reporting Line is not a public complaint board, and submitting a report does not establish that any person or team violated FPHL rules.

Retaliation against a person for making a good-faith report, providing evidence, giving testimony, or cooperating with an authorized review or investigation is prohibited.

An identified reporting party may be eligible for a $5,000 salary-cap reporting award when original, qualifying information materially contributes to a salary-cap violation being finally substantiated, subject

to applicable FPHL administrative rules. Anonymous reports are accepted, but anonymous reporting parties are not eligible for the award.

Consistent League Review and Independent Investigation
SAFE Hotline will serve as the independent third-party intake provider. It will receive online and telephone submissions and make them available to designated FPHL case administrators.

SAFE Hotline will not investigate allegations, make findings, or determine whether an FPHL rule was violated.

Reports will receive an initial FPHL review by the Director of League Operations or, when that position is vacant or a conflict exists, by an authorized alternate review body.

Until the Director of League Operations is appointed, the FPHL Operating Committee will serve as the authorized alternate review body for the initial review of submitted reports. Any Operating Committee member whose team, interests, or responsibilities are implicated in a report will be required to recuse from that matter. Only non-conflicted reviewers may participate in the intake decision.

The initial review will determine whether:

The reported conduct falls within the defined scope;
The conduct occurred on or after the July 27 effective date;
The report contains relevant firsthand information or credible supporting evidence;
Sufficient facts have been provided to permit further review; and
Referral for an independent investigation is warranted.

The initial review is not a determination that wrongdoing occurred.

When the information provides a credible basis to believe that a salary-cap violation may have occurred, the matter may be referred to an independent third-party investigator. The investigator may review relevant records, interview witnesses, request documentation, and gather other information reasonably necessary to determine what occurred.

At the conclusion of a full investigation, written findings will be prepared. Before a final determination is made, an accused person or organization will receive appropriate notice and a reasonable opportunity to respond under applicable FPHL procedures, subject to reasonable confidentiality protections for reporting parties, witnesses, and sensitive evidence.

Applicable findings and resulting action may also be subject to the league’s approved review or appeal process.

The framework establishes defined consequences for intentional salary-cap circumvention, false reporting, concealment, retaliation, obstruction, destruction or withholding of records, and failure to cooperate. It also distinguishes deliberate misconduct from legitimate arrangements, administrative deficiencies, and good-faith errors that are promptly disclosed and corrected.

Findings and any resulting action will be handled under applicable internal FPHL rules and procedures.

One Standard Across the League
The new framework will apply consistently across established teams, expansion teams, large markets, and smaller markets.

All teams will be expected to complete required roster, player-agreement, compensation, disclosure, and compliance documentation under the same standards. The league may request clarification, supporting records, or additional validation whenever reasonably necessary.

“I believe the standards we’ve put in place will create the most level playing field we’ve ever had,” said Everett Thompson, General Manager and Head Coach of the Indiana Sentinels. “I’m excited to see the competition and the surprises that come from it.”

The goal is to allow teams to recruit aggressively, operate ambitiously, and compete successfully while remaining within a common set of rules.

“Monitoring and enforcing the salary cap has been one of our biggest challenges over the past several seasons, and it affects markets of every size,” said Andreas Johansson, an FPHL Board of Governors and Operating Committee member and owner of multiple league teams. “As a prospects league, we want coaches focused on recruiting and developing hungry players ready for their first professional opportunity – not feeling pressured to build rosters around higher-salaried players from higher leagues. Consistent enforcement supports that mission and competitive balance.”

A Foundation for Continued Improvement
The framework is intended to provide a durable foundation for stronger compliance and more consistent league administration.

It addresses known methods of circumvention while also creating processes for identifying new issues through disclosures, certifications, reporting information, audits, reviews, and enforcement experience.

The FPHL will monitor implementation and review the framework as the league gains additional experience. Policies, procedures, forms, and guidance may be clarified or updated when the available information shows that an adjustment would improve fairness, administration, or effectiveness.

“This is about building trust through better systems,” Andrews said. “Clear rules, responsible reporting, fair review, and consistent application strengthen our competition, our teams, and are essential to the future of the league.”

The public FPHL Integrity and Compliance overview and reporting information will be available at:

https://www.federalhockey.com/ethics

The public FPHL Integrity Reporting and Review Policy will be available at:

https://www.federalhockey.com/ethics-policy

Teams and covered FPHL personnel will receive the complete internal salary-cap policies, reporting requirements, forms, procedures, and implementation guidance directly through league channels.

About the FPHL
The Federal Prospects Hockey League is a professional single-A minor hockey league with member clubs across the United States. The FPHL is committed to growing the game, developing players and supporting professional hockey in passionate local communities. The league will be entering its 17th season in 2026-27.