Columbus Chill

The Columbus Chill, one of the most successful minor league organizations of all time, stormed through Columbus, Ohio, in the 1990s. The city had three teams come and go in the 1960s and 1970s, and the Columbus Owls left town in 1977, leaving the city without hockey. The Chill began in the ECHL for the 1991-92 season, looking to fill that void and establish Columbus as a hockey city. They aimed to adopt a new approach to marketing to build passion around the club, something their predecessors had failed to do. They also played in the Fairgrounds Coliseum, which had previously hosted the Owls, Golden Seals, and Checkers.

The team's outrageous and borderline obscene marketing strategies attracted national notice and caught the interest of the community at the time. Even in terms of design, the squad defied convention by rotating its emblem vertically on its sweaters. The squad saw early success and began an 83-game sellout run in January 1992, with 80% of all games in franchise history sold out. That would establish a minor league record that would last for a decade. They amassed a remarkable season ticket base of almost 6,000 fans, which was unparalleled in minor league hockey. Although the club's on-ice performance was average, the squad was a box office success. When they did enter the playoffs, they were limited by a home arena that couldn't accommodate postseason games, a problem that their predecessors had as well. In the face of a scheduling issue caused by the sudden loss of important dates at the Coliseum, Chill management launched a public relations effort fueled by community support that grew into lobbying for a new venue. It did so well that it drew the attention of the NHL. The NHL committed to a new franchise for the 2000-01 season in July 1997. While the Chill eventually relocated due to the impending approach of the NHL, their efforts established Columbus as a legitimate hockey community and drew a major league franchise to town.

The complete story of the Chill may be found in the all-encompassing book, Chill Factor.