New ECHL franchise to be named the Tahoe Knight Monsters
The newest franchise in the ECHL has found its identity.
On Thursday, the league announced the team based in Lake Tahoe will be known as the Tahoe Knight Monsters.
The franchise, which will make the ECHL a 29-team league, is set to begin play next season.
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According to release from the league, the inspiration for the name came from nominations and input from over 1,000 fans. There is historic folklore in the area of a creature called “Tahoe Tessie”, hence the dragon-like creature in the logo.
The image was created by the marketing and design company, The Barn Creative, headed by president and creative director Nick Matarese.
The new team made waves when the ECHL approved expansion last July, as former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow was revealed to be one of the co-owners.
“We are so incredibly excited to introduce our team’s name for our fans and for the region,” Tebow stated in the release. “We look forward to bringing people together for fun family entertainment, as well as making a positive impact in this community.”
The Knight Monsters are also owned by the CEO of Hodges Management Group, LLC and 925 Partners LLC, David Hodges.
“It is an honor and privilege to steward the Tahoe Knight Monsters for this community,” said Hodges. “Tim and I have an unwavering commitment to making a positive impact in this community.”
The Knight Monsters will take to the ice at the new Tahoe Blue Event Center, a 4,200-seat arena located in Stateline, Nevada. The arena is managed by OVG360, a division of Oak View Group. The organization, founded by Tim Leiweke, is famous for managing the properties of Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle Kraken) and UBS Arena (New York Islanders).
The affiliate for the Knight Monsters has yet to be announced. Speculation points toward the team creating a partnership with the Vegas Golden Knights, given its proximity to both the team in Las Vegas, and their American Hockey League affiliate in Henderson. Currently, the Golden Knights are affiliated with the Savannah Ghost Pirates, who just began play last season.