The ECHL announced Wednesday afternoon that they would be halting operations, and the Flyers are directly affected by this.
On Wednesday, the ECHL confirmed that it’s North Division was suspending operations and would not play in the upcoming hockey season. The Flyers’ affiliate team, Reading Royals, plays in the North Division and has since the team’s inception.
Some potential bad news here is that the Flyers contract with the Royals to be their affiliate is due to expire after this season, however, there is a renewal option on the contract.
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It’s no doubt that the season being canceled for the north division could be troublesome and have a part in the decision to renew the contract. Should the contract between the two teams renewed, the Reading Royals will continue to serve as the official EASHL affiliate of Philadelphia.
Since being founded in 1911, the Royals signed a contract with Philadelphia to make them an affiliate in June 2014. Since June, the team has achieved success. While there are no noticeable players that are on Philly’s
radar playing for the Royals, it’s still essential that the team continues to have an affiliate. The ECHL is a tier below the American Hockey League.
The move to suspend operations in the North Division only started quite the controversy, and rightfully so.
Players and staff are out of a job for the foreseeable future. Safety first, and that seems to be what the ECHL and other leagues and the entire country are following. With the uncertainty of COVID-19 in the United States, this was the right move to make.
While unfortunate, it’s the only logical answer amid the pandemic.