Kelly Cup Coming To Coralville: Need To Know

Coralville, Iowa – The Iowa Heartlanders are excited to host the Kelly Cup at Xtream Arena for Iowa’s home game on Sat., Mar. 16 at 6:05 p.m. vs. Wheeling. The Kelly Cup is awarded to the champions of the ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs. It started its tour to five cities across the ECHL last month. 

Fans can get tickets to the Mar. 16 game here. The game on the 16^th is St. Hat Trick’s Day, featuring a Heartlanders Mascot Dash Bobblehead giveaway to the first 500 fans and theme jerseys available for auction. 

The Kelly Cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the ECHL’s first commissioner. The cup was first awarded at the end of the 1997 season. From 1988-96, the playoff champion received the Riley Cup. 

How to see the Cup

Before the game on Saturday, March 16^th, the Kelly Cup will be on the concourse for fans to take photos with.

There will also be a memorable opportunity for current Iowa Heartlanders Season Ticket Holders who have already renewed their season tickets for the 2024-25 season. Before the game on Saturday, the club will offer a special signing event in the media room with Head Coach Derek Damon. As a part of that, they will receive a pregame locker room tour, followed by exclusive access to the Kelly Cup before the general public. Learn more about season tickets and how to renew them by calling 319-569-4625 and visiting Iowaheartlanders.com.

Fun Facts

• Patrick J. Kelly, the Cup’s namesake, has been a part of hockey for more than 70 seasons; he began his junior playing career in 1952, was an NHL coach for the Colorado Rockies in the 70’s and is an ECHL Hall of Fame member. 
• The Cup stands 28 inches tall and weighs 19 pounds. The base of the trophy is constructed of maple and was manufactured and annually engraved by Trophy Awards Manufacturing, Inc. of Wilder, Kentucky. 
• Jared Bednar, Scott Burt, Riley Gill, Louis Mass, Kyle Neuber, Matt Register and Patrick Wellar have had their names engraved on the Kelly Cup three times. 
• 48 players whose name appears on the Kelly Cup have played in the National Hockey League. 
• Three teams have won the Kelly Cup three times: the Florida Everblades, South Carolina Stingrays and Alaska Aces.
• Two teams in the Iowa’s division (Central Division) have won the Kelly Cup: Cincinnati and Fort Wayne. Meanwhile, Toledo, Kalamazoo and Wheeling are still looking for their first Kelly Cup. 

Next up

The Heartlanders are next at home to take on the Wheeling Nailers March 13-16 for three games at Xtream Arena. Iowa hosts Wheeling on Wed., Mar. 13 at 6:35 p.m. and Fri., Mar. 15 at 6:35 p.m. March 16th is St. Hat Trick’s Day, featuring a Heartlanders Mascot Dash Bobblehead giveaway to the first 500 fans, theme jerseys available for auction and a special appearance by the Kelly Cup, the ECHL’s championship trophy. 

On Fri., Mar. 22 at 6:35 p.m., the Heartlanders oppose the Wichita Thunder in the 100th home game in team history, featuring $5 youth tickets (online only, with purchase of adult ticket). 

Sat., Mar. 23 at 6:05 p.m. is Heartland Heroes Night against Wichita, honoring the frontline workers that selflessly serve eastern Iowa. 

Join the fun at Xtream Arena in the 2023-24 season

Here are some of the best options to make sure you experience the family-friendly entertainment of Heartlanders Hockey at Xtream Arena this season!

Flex Plans: Enjoy the service, savings and game dates that work best for you! Flex plans include “any game” ticket vouchers that are good for any home game during the 2023-24 regular season.  

12-game plans: Grab tickets to your favorite 12 games! 12-game plans include savings on individually-priced tickets!

Group Tickets: Make a big impact with your group and spend an evening with the Heartlanders. Starting at a special rate of $15/Ticket. A group comprises 10 or more people and is perfect for parties, families, co-workers, clients and more.

Season Ticket Memberships now available for 2024-25 season

Deposits now available for new season ticket holders: The Heartlanders are excited to welcome new season ticket members to our family for the 2024-25 season and deposits for tickets are now available. Call 319-855-1775 and visit https://iowaheartlanders.com/tickets/season-memberships to start your easy process to becoming a Rose Club Season Ticket Member.

Renewal Process: The Heartlanders have started the renewal process for full season plans (Rose Club memberships) for the 2024-25 season, and the renewal application is now available online here. Once you log in, simply click “Season Renewal Application” under the “My Tickets” tab on the right, then complete the process. Our sales representatives are available to help with the renewal process by calling 319-855-1775. You can also stop by the Mediacom Season Ticket Table behind section 109 at any future game to secure your seat for the 2024-2025 season. 

The Heartlanders have added new seating options for the 2024-25 season, debuting Attack Zone Lower, Attack Zone Upper, Defense Zone, and Corner sections to allow fans additional price points to fit their budget. 

To retain your seats for the 2024-25 season, a $50 deposit per seat must be made by March 24. On March 25, all seats without deposits will be released and available for purchase by new season ticket holders.