Commissioner Brand Delivers Thanksgiving Message

MIHL Family, Fans & Friends,

As we head into our Thanksgiving break, I want to thank everyone for their continued support—and at times, your patience—as our league continues to grow. Doubling the size of any organization comes with challenges and rewards. We’ve seen new teams achieve immediate success, and of course, we’ve experienced a few hiccups along the way.

Our online scoring system is about 30% of where it needs to be, and we know we must improve our overall social media presence. I also want to thank our on-ice officials for their patience and understanding as we transitioned to a new scheduling and payment system.

A reminder that our organizations rely heavily on volunteers—off-ice officials, marketing support, ticket takers, and promotional staff—who help make the MIHL truly community-driven. As the league and our teams expand our bandwidth (meaning more people and more time to dedicate to projects), we will continue to make improvements. Real-time scoring for all games, expanded broadcast outlets, equipment deals, podcasts, and a stronger social media presence are all areas we are actively developing. We know we’ve made tremendous strides, but we also acknowledge there is still work to do. We appreciate your understanding and your feedback on how we can continue to improve.

Let’s remember our core mission: to be community-based, to provide affordable family entertainment, to create a safe and competitive environment for all participants, and to offer a place for players looking to advance and develop. We are proud to be semi-professional hockey. We are proud to represent our communities and our state. And we are honored that you continue to support us.

And yes—without fueling the rumor mill—several locations within our footprint have inquired about joining us for the 2026–27 season. After completing our due diligence, we hope to add at least two more teams to our family. We could add more, and of course, our current eight makes for a great league as well.

From our MIHL family to yours, have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Enjoy your time with your families—and enjoy the turkey, which for some of you may be one and the same.