The Amarillo Bulls were a Tier II junior ice hockey team based in Amarillo, Texas . They were a member of the North American Hockey League 's South Division and played home games in the Amarillo Civic Center .
7-641: The franchise joined the NAHL as the Albert Lea Thunder , located in Albert Lea, Minnesota , in 2008. During the second season, issues with ownership forced the league to step in to keep the team playing. On May 11, 2010, it was reported that the team had found new owners and would relocate to Texas for the 2010–11 season. Their franchise and roster were officially sold to the Amarillo ownership on May 26, 2010. On June 18,
14-516: A $ 400,000 fine from the NAHL. On December 7, 2009, the NAHL's Board of Governors terminated the Albert Lea membership and took over operations of the team during the transition. Despite the scandal, the Thunder mounted a late-season comeback and made the playoffs for the first time in team history in 2010. In May 2010, the team found new owners and relocated to Amarillo, Texas , for the 2010–11 season as
21-660: The North Iowa Bulls , an organization that had been operating in the North American 3 Hockey League and also owned by Fernandez. The Bulls were replaced in Amarillo by the Amarillo Wranglers in the 2021–22 season. Albert Lea Thunder The Albert Lea Thunder was a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League 's Central Division. The team was an expansion franchise for
28-523: The 2008–09 season and played their home games at the Albert Lea Ice Arena in Albert Lea, Minnesota . The franchise joined the North American Hockey League (NAHL) for the 2008–09 season with Chicago businessman Jim Perkins and Barry Soskin as owners. Soskin was also the owner of independent Northern Junior Hockey League teams, the Findlay Grrrowl and defunct Pittsburgh Cougars , as well as
35-505: The former owner of the ECHL 's Toledo Storm and Central Hockey League 's Nashville Nighthawks . On November 18, 2009, it was reported that the Thunder were engaging in "pay-to-play," or taking money to guarantee players' spots on the team, an act that is against the rules under the Tier II sanctioning of USA Hockey for the NAHL. A total of eight players were named and the organization was facing
42-503: The team announced the new name, logo and colors of the team after a name-the-team contest. The Amarillo Bulls announced their inaugural coach as Denis Williams, former NCAA Division I coach at Bowling Green . On May 13, 2013, the Bulls captured their first Robertson Cup Championship defeating the Wenatchee Wild 5–0 in the championship game. Following the 2013–14 season, coach Williams
49-554: Was named as the head coach of the expansion Bloomington Thunder of the United States Hockey League , a Tier I team and a recent addition to the Consolidated Sports Holdings portfolio. In 2019, the team was sold to F&S Management Company LLC led by majority owner Alberto Fernandez. On March 5, 2021, it was announced that the team would relocate to Mason City, Iowa , starting in the 2021–22 season as
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