The Macon Mayhem franchise now has new ownership, Macon Pro Hockey Group, LLC, which is owned and operated by Fayetteville Marksmen owners Chuck and Lanai Norris.
“We are very pleased to announce the transfer of the Macon hockey franchise to Macon Pro Hockey Group, LLC,” said SPHL Commissioner Doug Price. “Professional hockey has deep roots in middle Georgia dating back to the 1970s and we’re looking forward to the continued commitment and direction of this group moving forward. The league remains excited for the future of hockey in Macon based on the proven success of this leadership in another SPHL market.”
The Fayetteville Marksmen has seen attendance increase by more than double since the Norris family took ownership in 2017.
Also announced at a press conference was a new Team President, Alex Wall, who is also serving in the same role in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
“With each passing day during this process, I grew more excited with the potential of what ‘could be,’” said Wall. “The city of Macon deserves an organization they can be proud of both on and off the ice – and we intend to deliver just that.”
The announcement comes after a deal with previously announced owner, Scott Gooch, was said to have not worked out. No further information was given on Gooch’s departure.
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Macon Mayhem rebrands as new owner looks to bring new energy to the team
It’s a new era for the Macon Mayhem.
They have a new head coach, new ownership and, after an announcement on Thursday, a brand-new logo.
New team owner and CEO Chuck Norris was fully involved in crafting the new look. He said he sat with the designer until 4 a.m. making sure everything was perfect.
He said the toughest part about creating a new logo was not getting to show it off around town.
“I’ve been so excited to wear this logo, but I couldn’t wear it and be out in public with it until now that we’ve introduced it formally,” Norris said. “I’m a hat guy, so I probably got five or six hats that I’m going to be wearing out. Shirts, hoodies, everything man, I’m excited about it.”
With so much change, the Mayhem fan base had one worry: a brand-new name.
Many fans expressed worries before Thursday’s press conference about having to buy new shirts and jerseys due to the team no longer being called the Mayhem.
Norris, who is also the owner of the Fayetteville Marksmen, changed their name when he initially became the owner of the team.
However, this time around, he saw how much the community rallied around the Macon Mayhem name and decided to keep it.
“I started talking to corporate partners, season ticket holders, and the name and the brand was actually still good and held in high regard around town,” Norris said. “When I was thinking about what I’d rebrand it to… I was like ‘Macon Mayhem name is good, people like it, they’re used to it, we might as well keep it.’”
Norris didn’t come to Macon alone. Team president Alex Wall will serve as both Macon and Fayetteville’s team president.
The team’s owner was incredibly thankful to have him and couldn’t say enough about how big of a role he serves to both teams.
“If I could sum it up in one word: paramount,” Norris said. “Alex is an extremely important part of this organization. Every single thing that happens in both cities, on both teams, goes through us. He’s basically like a business partner, he’s involved in everything. I trust him with everything.”
The two have worked heavily together to create a strong environment in Macon like they had in Fayetteville. Their teamwork is a key reason why new head coach Dave Pszenyczny felt confident to take the job and make the move to Macon.
“It was a long offseason, interviewing with other teams, trying to find the right fit that fit me and my coaching style and kind of aligning with Chuck,” Pszenyczny said. “It was huge as a coach to have the same alignment and thoughts on how the process works and what we’re building for. Made my decision a little bit easier at the end of the day.”
With a lot of the off-the-ice decisions out of the way, Norris can now look forward to the regular season in October.
One matchup that he’s anticipating is when both his teams face off.
Fayetteville will travel to Macon on Oct. 25 and 26 for their second and third games of the season.
“I wish I could tell you how I’m gonna feel about it,” Norris said. “I think it’s like when you have kids. You don’t think that you could ever love your first kid more than you do, but the reality is as you have more you just love them all the same… I want both to win, I don’t know if that’s possible, but if Macon can win every game in Macon and Fayetteville wins every game in Fayetteville, I’d probably be happy.”
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