Miami Matadors
history{| style="margin:5px; border:1px solid #8888AA;" align=right cellpadding=3 cellspacing=3 width=280 |- align="center" bgcolor="#dddddd" |colspan=2| Miami Matadors |- align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"
| Founded | 1998 |
| Home ice | Miami Arena |
| Based in | Miami, Florida |
| League | East Coast Hockey League |
The Miami Matadors were an ice hockey team in the East Coast Hockey League. They played in Miami, Florida, USA at the Miami Arena for just one season before moving.
:Seasons: 1998 :Arena: Miami Arena (capacity 14,823) :Logo design: Grimacing Matador with hockey stick :Season Played: 1 (1998-1999)
History
The Miami Matadors were a hockey team in the ECHL. The franchise began as the Louisville River Frogs in 1995, moving to Miami in 1998. Although they hoped to make it by offering inexpensive seats and a good hockey product, the local fans were, sadly, not interested. As a result, they only played one season there before moving on to Cincinnati to become the Cyclones. The team was owned by Bob Snyder and ultimately failed due to a lack of funding and a lack of fan support. In fact, the last few two home games were played in Estero, Florida at Germain Arena home of the Florida Everblades. Matador season ticket holders were given free tickets to the games there, though most chose not to make the two-hour drive.
It was a bittersweet end to a great idea. Unlike the poorly run Miami Manatees that would follow in the WHA2, Matadors management made an honest effort to become involved with the community, and were even a minor-league affiliate with the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers.
In their single season, the Matadors finished with a 28-32-10 record, finishing seventh in the ECHL's Southeast Division. The team's leading scorer was ex-Brown University center Michael Flynn, with 20 goals and 50 assists; center Greg Clancy was the leading goal scorer with 28. Among other notable Matadors were veteran minor league star Sheldon Gorski and goaltender Brent Belecki.
Miami's history is littered with failed minor league franchises in a number of sports. Currently the franchise is inactive.