Column: Why the professional hockey belongs to Bayou – The Reveille, the Student Gazette of LSU

For Louisiana’s sports fanatics, most dreams lie on either the grass or the court. However, a small but dedicated fanbase dreams lies on the ice.

Baton Rouge Zideco’s experience is quite humble. The team usually fills about 4,000 of 10,000 seats in the River Center. However, since classics like Callin ‘Baton Rouge and “Wipe Me” fill your ears, you will know that this team has a special place in the hearts of people from its country.

Hockey and south have complicated relationships. Geography in the south as a whole has ruled out any close connection between the two. The kids here can grow up by throwing football in the yard or tingling on the local basketball court, but frozen lakes are difficult to achieve.

Money is also usually a barrier. The southern states consistently fall to the bottom of the comparative income lists, and the hockey requires a lot of equipment. The parents of the working class are usually difficult for them to provide a stick, skates, facilities and gas to travel to an ice rink that can be far outside their rural district.

Still, the dream of Louisiana hockey endures.

In 1993, Tim and Dave Beriman hunted for a home. The two brothers working in Charleston witnessed the explosive rise of South Carolina Stingrays in the modest hockey league on the east coast and tried to create their own team. They soon settled into a small town without any professional sports teams, the home of a well -sized stadium and a high enough population to make a modest profit.

Initially, Lafayette people were not used to hockey, but soon they warmed up to the ice. The team works hard on an advertising campaign that pushes hockey as an intense and lightning game and used the violent trends of sports to the greatest extent.

When they went out to the rink for their first game, the Lafayette people were electrified.

Icegators broke the Echl Records Records and won numerous division titles, which led to an explosion in the Louisiana hockey. The teams jumped into Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, Monroe, New Orleans and Shrevport.

However, this golden age was short -lived.

The novelty of sports soon got out of fans. While the sport had its share of local characters, such as Kam Brown, captain-coach of The Baton Rouge Kingfish, the new teams could not find the same success as Icegators. The visit began sharply, as almost everyone faded in historical books.

However, the idea of ​​Louisiana’s hockey has never died entirely. After Icegators folded for its second and last time, becoming the Quad City storm, the Shreveport mud is restored after 16 years. In addition, in 2023, the owner of Multi Ekipa Barry Soskin denied a deal to launch a new franchise in Baton Rouge, Zydeco.

So far, the results have been mixed.

Zideko began his existence roughly. Chief coach Matt Hamilton was replaced only two months in his term, and subsequently appointed hens, Paul McLean and Matthew Forens, led the team to a hassle-free start with 2-10 in the 2023 season.

However, fans have reason to be optimistic. In coach Everett Thompson, Zydeco remain a solid team within their division. They are currently sitting at # 2 with a record of 14-9.

While attendance is reduced since 2024, Zydeco remains popular, especially after the football season.

When my best friend offered to take me to a Zydeco game in January 2024, my first thought was: “Batton Rouge has a hockey team?”

I never grew up as a huge fan of sports, but I thought I was aware of all professional sports teams in the state. I had even seen a few New Orleans Zefi shirts here -there.

When I reached the River Center, I was slightly surprised by the crowd. Although it was not a sale, the place was quite packed. Not knowing almost nothing about hockey, I took my place with zero expectations for what would happen.

Until I knew much about hockey and I still didn’t do it, I witnessed a huge passion for ice tonight. I do not remember the result, but I remember that Zydeco is fighting hard – the clean scraping of the players puts me.

I also took a minute to look at the crowd. I saw a diverse set of children, young couples, old couples and even a few super -fans arranged in what I can only imagine that every piece of Zydeco Merch. In their faces, I saw that they felt the same magic that I felt watching these guys try to take victory.

Will the NHL ever provide Louisiana with a professional hockey team? The odds are unlikely, but it still does not mean that Louisiana Hockey is dead.

Check the hockey forums and from time to time you will find a thread that admires the old icegaskers or discuss Zydeco’s prospects. And, invariably, you will find many old fans longing for the days when the hockey filled a cabundo, and Louisiana was the center of the hockey of the minor League.

The professional hockey in Louisiana is in a strange place. It is a dream that is not yet fully realized and may never be.

However, the belief fans continue. They cook for the team, provide donations and carry their love and energy in full force.

Help you go to Zydeco game and experience the magic. Of course, they are not a power plant, but Louisiana’s hockey is not a novelty. It is the product of the passion and love of a small group of dedicated fans, and this is always on a complete display.

Despite Louisiana’s frosty relationship with the game, the hockey is as vibrant as always in Baton Rouge.