Rome Knights, an unchartered recreational organization which was begun to provide athletic recreation in the form of ice hockey to adults who had played minor professional or college ice hockey. For six years, until 1971, the Knights played ice hockey by invitation; that is, inviting teams from the surrounding area to Rome's John F. Kennedy Arena. The Knights were not part of any formal league at this time, nor were they affiliated with a National Hockey League (NHL) or professional hockey team. However, during their existence many of their rostered players had some minor professional experience. The Knights engaged in strictly invitational hockey games, usually paying expenses of the opposing team so they would play in Rome. This was gradually expanded over the years to include teams from as far away as Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the Canadian province of Ontario. In the middle 1960s, interest in the Knights ice hockey team increased, primarily as an overflow from the Clinton Comets of the Eastern Hockey League, a professional farm team for the New York Rangers of the NHL. The presence of former Clinton Comets, along with the Knights' physical style of play, stimulated the general population's interest in attending Rome Knights hockey games. In 1971 the Rome Knights changed their name to the Copper City Chiefs. Rome is referred to as the Copper City, after the Revere Manufacturing Plant that once produced copperware in the city through the 1970s. The Rome Copper City Chiefs continued to play invitational games and increased their following in and around central New York. In 1971 the Clinton Comets folded. This brought more professional players to the Chiefs and added to the increased attendance at their games. A new general manager took control of the team and instituted a publicity campaign to further increase game attendance and provide further incentives for local business sponsorship. During the 1972–1973 season, the Chiefs' general manager met with managers of opposing teams, and they decided to form the Northeastern United States Hockey League. This was composed of teams from upstate New York, parts of Massachusetts, and northern New Jersey. League play, coupled with increased advertising and publicity, helped increase attendance, but also required the Chiefs to play in more away games. As added incentive for fans to attend their games, schedules of play were arranged for the 1973-1974 season to give maximum home play to teams that had