Roanoke Valley Rebels. The four existing teams returned for the 1974–75 Southern Hockey League season, joined by a fifth expansion team from Fayetteville, North Carolina. The new team was named after the Fayetteville Arsenal, and was scheduled to play at the Cumberland County Memorial Arena. In October 1974, owner Bill Raue moved the team, to Hampton, Virginia, before playing any games, when availability of home ice dates became a problem. The new Hampton Gulls relocated to the Hampton Coliseum, recently vacated by the Virginia Wings of the American Hockey League. The five teams played a complete schedule of 72 games, with the Charlotte Checkers winning both the regular season and playoff titles. The five existing teams returned for the 1975–76 Southern Hockey League season, joined by a sixth expansion team from Norfolk, Virginia. The Tidewater Sharks joined the league owned by Virginia politician Dick Davis, playing at the Norfolk Scope. The six teams played a complete schedule of 72 games, with the Charlotte Checkers repeating as regular season and playoff champions. The Roanoke Valley Rebels ceased operations, and two new teams were added for the 1976–77 Southern Hockey League season. The Baltimore Clippers transferred from the American Hockey League, and the Richmond Wildcats were an expansion team. Both Richmond and Greensboro folded on January 3, 1977, due to financial problems. On January 7, the Tidewater Sharks folded after missing payroll, and Winston-Salem owner Jim Crockett Jr. pulled the Polar Twins out of the league. The remaining three teams considered adding a fourth team, but the league was short on funds when Greensboro and Winstom-Salem defaulted on $25,000 loans. The league also considered playing a round-robin tournament to determine a champion, or develop an interlocking schedule with either the North American Hockey League or the International Hockey League. On January 22, 1977, both the NAHL and IHL rejected the proposal. The league played what would be its last game on January 31, 1977. It planned to return for the 1977–78 season, but these plans came to nothing. Teams The Southern Hockey League started with teams in Virginia, North Carolina and Florida. Winston-Salem was added next, owned by a group of 15 investors. The league sought out a sixth team in southern states to fill in the gap between North Carolina and Florida. Westward expansion was ruled out, as Tennessee teams were already in the Central Professional Hockey League, and hockey in