FPHL Statement Regarding Pee Dee IceCats and 2026-27 League Planning

The Federal Prospects Hockey League Board of Governors has taken action regarding Pee Dee Pro Hockey, LLC / Pee Dee IceCats following a review of governance, arena, documentation, and operational issues affecting the affiliate’s League status for the 2026-27 season.

Following an Emergency/Special Meeting of the Board of Governors on Saturday, May 30, the Board determined that Pee Dee is not presently an Active Affiliate in Good Standing and has suspended Pee Dee’s participation rights, subject to further Board action. This action concerns League status under FPHL bylaws only; it does not decide any private legal or contractual matters, recognize any claimant as the approved representative of Pee Dee, or waive any League rights.

Over the past several weeks, the FPHL has been reviewing affiliate readiness for the upcoming season. That review is designed to confirm that each market has the authority, documentation, arena access, operational readiness, professional standards, scheduling certainty, and commitment required to complete a stable and successful FPHL season.

With respect to Pee Dee, materials submitted to the League raised substantial issues concerning Affiliate recognition, arena and lease documentation, transfer and assignment approvals, scheduling certainty, and the absence of an unconditional commitment to participate in the 2026-27 FPHL season. League records do not reflect that any arena/lease transfer or assignment tied to Pee Dee’s League status was submitted for or received the approvals required for League recognition. Accordingly, the League has not recognized any such transfer or assignment for FPHL purposes.

These issues affected fans, players, employees, sponsors, arena partners, other FPHL affiliates, and the League’s ability to finalize divisions and scheduling for next season. Before public statements were made announcing an intended move to another league, the Commissioner had already called an Emergency/Special Meeting of the Board of Governors to review Pee Dee’s status under the League bylaws and consider appropriate remedies. The formal review process was already underway, serious questions remained unanswered, and statements announcing a different path were made before that process concluded.

For the FPHL, stability is not created by an announcement. Stability is created by clear answers, reliable documentation, professional conduct, and a real commitment to complete the season. Those are the standards the League applies to every market.

The FPHL respects that other leagues will make their own decisions. The FPHL is responsible for its own standards, its own approval process, and the long-term health of its member markets. When unresolved questions are material to whether a market can operate successfully and complete a full season, the responsible course is to ask the hard questions and require clear answers.

This was never about whether Florence could support professional hockey. Pee Dee fans showed tremendous passion, and that passion deserves respect. The League’s concern was whether the situation presented to the FPHL met the standards required to protect those fans and deliver a full and successful season.

The FPHL has not abandoned the Pee Dee / Florence market. If bylaw-compliant documentation, approvals, and operational commitments support a stable FPHL operation in the market, the League will evaluate any appropriate path consistent with League requirements.

With this matter now addressed by the Board, the FPHL will move forward with finalizing alignment, scheduling, and other 2026-27 season preparations.

The FPHL is also moving forward from recent League meetings with a renewed focus on governance, communication, competitive balance, salary-cap alignment, compliance, league operations, and long-term market standards. The League operates in the Single-A professional hockey space and is focused on building the strongest version of that level of hockey.

The FPHL is listening to its fans, raising expectations, and building a stronger league. Every market matters, and the League wants every market to succeed. But success requires more than a logo, a press conference, or a schedule. It requires standards, commitment, accountability, and a shared responsibility to players, partners, and fans.

Additional updates regarding 2026-27 divisions, schedule planning, and League initiatives will be announced as they are finalized.

About the FPHL

The Federal Prospects Hockey League is a Single-A minor professional hockey league focused on competitive hockey, market development, player opportunity, and sustainable growth across its member communities.

The league will enter its 17th season in 2026–2027