Gulf Coast Swords

The Gulf Coast Swords were a planned expansion team of the ECHL. Due to years of delays in the construction of Lakewood Arena in Bradenton, Florida, the ECHL terminated the franchise in September 2006, more than two years after the franchise was supposed to begin play. Many ECHL fans satirize the arena not being built, saying it was a "drawing on paper", and also make fun of the Swords, as they were said to be "all-talk", and were never introduced.