The ECHL’s Stone Cold New Franchise Heats Up First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro

The First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro has a stone-cold professional hockey franchise – the Greensboro Gargoyles of the ECHL
The franchise name and logo were announced this week after 2,000 fans submitted names for consideration. The logo of a menacing stone monster in colors of “Gargoyle grape, Greensboro gold and midnight” was created by The Barn Creative.
The Gargoyles are owned and operated by Zawyer Sports & Entertainment, which is helmed by CEO Andy Kaufman. The company is based in Jacksonville, Florida, but has roots in North Carolina including the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers and the Gastonia Baseball Club. Zawyer also operates the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen and the Savannah Ghost Pirates and the ownership group also serves as a consultant for the ECHL’s Tahoe Knight Monsters.
“We don’t go to cities and leave cities or buy teams and move teams,” Kaufmann told VenuesNow, when the team was first announced. “We operate some of the most successful teams in professional hockey and we are super confident we are here to stay.”
Formerly the Greensboro Coliseum, the venue has a long history with professional hockey dating back to when the arena opened in 1959. Since then, the facility has hosted minor league teams all the way up to the National Hockey League when the city was the original home of the Carolina Hurricanes for two seasons after the club moved from Hartford, Connecticut.
The Gargoyles will begin play in the ECHL’s 2025-26 season, starting in October of 2025. A 36-game home regular-season schedule will take place at First Horizon Coliseum, the iconic 22,000-seat arena at the heart of Greensboro Complex. The arena is managed by Oak View Group.
In preparation, the Coliseum will be updating the entire hockey package with brand new dashers, glass, benches, goals, nets and Zambonis. The cost will be covered by a hotel/motel tax that can be used for capital needs at the Coliseum, which is owned by the city. The budget is roughly $1.5 million.
The team will also announce a National Hockey League/ American Hockey League affiliate before the start of the 2025-26 season. A head coach is expected to be named in late spring/early summer of 2025. The Gargoyles are currently accepting season ticket deposits to be placed on a priority list. Seating selection/priority will be based on the date a deposit is placed.
