Comcast Spectacor, the parent company of Spectra and the Flyers, announced today it has purchased the ECHL Alaska Aces and will relocate the team to the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine. The move reaffirms that Comcast Spectacor and Spectra are committed to the Portland area. The yet-to-be-named team will begin play with the '18-19 season. The new franchise's business operations will be run by the Flyers organization. Flyers President Paul Holmgren will serve as the team's governor, and former NHLer Danny Briere will oversee the day-to-day operations of the club (Comcast Spectacor). In Maine, Glenn Jordan notes the arena "has been without a major tenant" since the AHL Portland Pirates were sold in May '16 and moved to Springfield, Mass. The Alaska Aces announced in late February they would "cease operations" after the '16-17 season because of "declining revenue." The Flyers already have an ECHL affiliate in Pennsylvania, the Reading Royals, so the team in Portland "may affiliate with a different NHL club" (PRESSHERALD.com, 6/15).
