(GREENVILLE, S.C.) – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and AHL’s Ontario Reign, announced in conjunction with the ECHL that the team is a finalist in six different award categories for the 2025-26 Team Awards, presented by SponsorCX, taking place at the 2026 ECHL Hockey Summer Meetings in Nashville on Wednesday, June 24^th.

The Swamp Rabbits are team finalists for five categories: Most Creative Ticket Package (Handy Man Hal Meet & Greet), Specialty Jersey of the Year (Military Appreciation Night, presented by Budweiser), Ticket Department of the Year (Growth), and Group Department of the Year, both Aggregate and Growth. Additionally, Senior Manager of Group Sales Hunter Roush is a finalist for Ticket Sales Professional of the Year.

This is the third season in a row that the Swamp Rabbits are vying for six different ECHL awards. The team has been a finalist now 32 times since Spire Sports + Entertainment acquired the team in 2020, earning four wins entering this summer’s meetings.

“Being nominated for six total league awards is a testament to our group's effort and commitment to providing a polished, professional product, that blends fun and creativity,” said Tim Vieira, President of the Swamp Rabbits. “Each award nomination tells a unique story from our past season — notably, the three ticket sales growth and aggregate nominations that highlight the objective results as a product of the hard work and dedication our Front Office Staff put in throughout the season, championed by the leadership of Andrew DePuy.

He continued: “Hunter Roush's nomination as Sales Professional of the Year is a very well-deserved recognition. Hunter has elevated our fan experience in Greenville, has found unique ways to engage new markets to our product and has done it all while providing tremendous leadership and guidance to younger staff.”

The Handyman Hal Meet & Greet Ticket Package successfully blended entertainment, influencer marketing, and family engagement into a unique sales offering for Stomper’s Birthday, presented by Big Air Trampoline park. The package capitalized on Handyman Hal’s massive digital presence as a YouTube Kids Show sensation with over 1.5 million YouTube subscribers. Handy Man Hal made his first-ever appearance at a professional hockey game, and his presence culminated in a post-event YouTube video that has over 85,000 views since it release. The activation drove strong fan interest and demand, resulting in 183 tickets sold and generating $6,375 in total revenue. Beyond the numbers, the package stands out for its originality and leveraging a widely recognized children’s content creator to introduce new audiences to Swamp Rabbits hockey in an innovative and family-friendly way. 

The Swamp Rabbits unveiled the jersey for Military Appreciation Night, presented by Budweiser, through a creative, story-driven social media rollout that went beyond a traditional reveal. The campaign featured engaging video content that highlighted the inspiration and meaning behind the design, building anticipation and emotional connection with fans. This was complemented by a unique “Behind the Threads” graphic that broke down key elements of the jersey, such as the celebration of America’s 250^th birthday, giving fans an inside look at the details and symbolism. Together, the content created a deeper appreciation for the jersey while driving strong engagement and excitement leading into the event. The jersey auction netted $24,600 with proceeds benefitting Folds of Honor, and the jersey sold nearly 200 units in the team store.

For a fourth straight season, the Swamp Rabbits are a finalist for Ticket Department of the Year (Growth). The sales team achieved growth in FSE (Full Season Equivalents) for a fourth consecutive campaign, growing over 40% year-over-year. Additionally, the team set multiple franchise and Greenville hockey records in attendance, most notably 10,852 students, teachers, and fans for our annual “School Day Game” on November 12^th, average attendance of 5,115 fans, highest since the 2001-02 season of the Greenville Grrrowl, and a total attendance of 184,055. The Swamp Rabbits saw an average attendance of 7,200 for specialty games, eight lower bowl sellouts, and over 400 more fans on average compared to the 2024-25 ECHL Season.

Group Sales continues to shine for the Swamp Rabbits, marking a third straight season as a finalist for Group Department of the Year (Growth) and a first-time finalist for Group Department of the Year (Aggregate). The team nearly eclipsed 41,000 total group tickets over the course of the 2025-26 ECHL Season, the tip of the spear in a campaign that saw 69% growth year-over-year.

Swamp Rabbits Senior Manager of Groups Hunter Roush has been a driving force behind this year’s team sales success, consistently showing up with a strong work ethic and a genuine approach to building relationships. His impact was clear, contributing over 20% of total premium sales and 14% of all group sales, while playing a major role in the organization’s overall growth. Year-over-year, Roush nearly quadrupled his Season Ticket sales revenue and increased his group sales by almost 50%, showcasing an innate versatility by delivering across both premium and group sales. A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Roush joined the Swamp Rabbits in 2024 following stops with the Lafayette Aviators baseball team and Indy Eleven soccer team. He graduated in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Purdue University Fort Wayne.

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About the Greenville Swamp Rabbits …
Acquired by Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E) in 2020, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team have been providing family friendly, live entertainment at Bon Secours Wellness Arena since 2010. Formerly the Greenville Road Warriors, the Swamp Rabbits are the highest-level professional minor league franchise in South Carolina. The Swamp Rabbits are the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's LA Kings and the AHL's Ontario Reign. Greenville is a member of the ECHL, Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League.