Austin Ice Bats

Pro hockey team
text_color = white
bg_color = #054EA4
team = Austin Ice Bats

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logosize = 180px
city = Austin, Texas
league = CHL
conference =
division = Southeast Division
founded = 1996
arena = Chaparral Ice
colors = blue, white, yellow
owner =
coach = Brent Hughes
GM =
media =
affiliates = Minnesota Wild (NHL)
Houston Aeros (AHL)
Texas Wildcatters (ECHL)
name1 = Austin Ice Bats (WPHL)
dates1 = 1996 to 2001
name2 = Austin Ice Bats (CHL)
dates2 = 2001 to 2008
reg_season_titles =
division_titles =
conf_titles =

The Austin Ice Bats were a professional minor-league ice hockey team based in Austin, Texas, United States. They played in Austin from 1996 to 2008. Affiliated with the Central Hockey League, the team was named in honor of the Mexican Free-tailed Bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) which nest under the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in the city. Their affiliates were the NHL's Minnesota Wild, the AHL's Houston Aeros, and the ECHL's Texas Wildcatters. The team's last head coach was former NHL player Brent Hughes.

History

The team was established in 1996 and played home games in Luedecke Arena at the Travis County Exposition Center, a multi-purpose building which was furnished with skating ice and dubbed the "Bat Cave" for the games. The team was original affiliated with the Western Professional Hockey League. The Ice Bats joined several other WPHL teams in a merger with the CHL in 2001.

In May 2008, the team announced it was leaving Austin due to lack of fan support at Chaparral Ice. [http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/icebats/05/07/0507icebats.html] Anticipated competition with the announced AHL Texas Stars has also been cited as a factor. It is unknown where the team intends to relocate to.

Arena

On February 15, 2006, the Ice Bats announced they would vacate the Travis County Exposition Center and relocate to Chaparral Ice, near Austin's northeast border with neighboring Pflugerville. The Ice Bats cited scheduling conflicts at the Expo Center as the main reason for the move. Chaparral Ice proved to be an unsuccessful venue.

Media

The teams's play-by-play announcer was Brien Rea.

External links

* [http://www.icebats.com/ Austin Ice Bats] official web site
* [http://www.chaparralice.com/ Chaparral Ice] official web site