Photo by Ben Hensley | Fresno Falcons’ Media Consultant Brian Flores speaks at a May 6 press event announcing the return of hockey to the Selland Arena.
Before the puck even drops, the return of the Fresno Falcons is generating momentum in Downtown Fresno.
Professional hockey is set to return to Selland Arena this October for the first time in nearly two decades, with the Falcons joining the New York-based Federal Prospects Hockey League under a five-year agreement announced by city officials and league representatives last week.
The franchise’s ownership group has not been publicly identified, but the organization is already selling season ticket deposits, promoting merchandise giveaways on social media and seeking partnerships with local businesses ahead of its inaugural season. An attempt to reach the Falcons about what types of businesses they are looking to partner with was unsuccessful.
Selland’s moment
Despite unanswered questions about ownership at the news conference, the opportunity for Selland Arena to land an anchor tenant was too appealing to pass up.
“I was extremely elated at the opportunity,” said Marc Solis, executive director of the Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center for venue operations firm VenuWorks. “Hockey hadn’t been in our region in 17 years, and the opportunity to get it back was just — I couldn’t pass it up.”
Solis, who previously worked in sports marketing with minor league hockey organizations before entering venue management, said response following the May 6 announcement has been “extremely overwhelming.”
The revived Falcons will play a 28-game home schedule at Selland Arena, which Solis described as a natural fit because the venue already had an existing ice plant and infrastructure designed for hockey.
Arena upgrades underway
The city is investing in arena upgrades that include a new center-hung video board, new hockey glass, updated concession areas and operational improvements designed to allow faster conversions between hockey games, concerts and other events. Solis said additional changes are in the works that he declined to detail but expects will excite fans.
He noted that the Falcons could become an anchor tenant capable of helping drive year-round activity in Downtown Fresno.
“Hockey is able to come in a timeframe when the Fresno Grizzlies season is over for the most part,” Solis said. “So I think it’s just a continuation of bringing people into the downtown area.”
The announcement fits a pattern of city officials and downtown advocates using sports and entertainment projects as economic development tools aimed at increasing foot traffic, hotel stays and restaurant activity — a strategy also apparent in Fresno’s pursuit of a professional soccer stadium tied to the United Soccer League in the downtown or Chinatown area.
Nostalgia and neighborhood
For downtown leaders, the Falcons’ return taps into both economic goals and memories of a more vibrant sports scene.
“It’s great when we’ve got more and more activities going on all throughout the month downtown,” said Elliott Balch of the Downtown Fresno Partnership. “Certainly for those of us who were growing up in Fresno in the ’80s and ’90s, the Falcons were an institution.”
Balch said the Downtown Partnership hopes to create a strong game-day experience around the arena once the season starts.
Solis said that nostalgia is already helping build support for the team.
“Since the announcement, I’ve had so many people tell me that it just rekindles a lot of great emotion that they had in years past, when they were either as a child or as a young adult going to the Fresno Falcons games,” Solis said.
Business alignment
The early enthusiasm is translating to sponsorship outreach. The Falcons have begun promoting partnerships and encouraging companies to align with the franchise. Solis said hockey’s fan base has historically been among the most loyal in minor league sports.
“If your brand is affiliated with a hockey team, there’s a high affinity that fan is going to have to your product,” Solis said. “They know you’re supporting their local hockey team.”
The return of hockey also aligns with broader changes underway at the Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center under VenuWorks, which took over operations earlier this year. Solis, hired in February to lead the complex, has made attracting mid-sized sporting events, concerts and conventions a stated priority to drive downtown visitation and hotel demand.