Nobody wanted to leave; not then, probably not ever.  The Iowa Heartlanders’ final home game of the season technically ended after the Bloomington Bison scored in overtime, but as the rival team mobbed one another on the ice, the crowd at Coralville’s Xtream Arena didn’t head for the exits. Rather, they stood and waited patiently, not ready to say goodbye without the proper send-off. 

The Bison knew better than to celebrate too long, and soon exited the rink, leaving the Heartlanders alone to witness the scene. Cowbells clanged, chants echoed, and cheers rained, the collective din defying the arena’s many empty seats. The fans didn’t need a sellout to make their voices heard. 

Heartlander players skated slowly along the perimeter, raising their sticks in gratitude and appreciation before heading to the tunnel. Head coach Chuck Weber could only join in the applause, his eyes glancing up at fans decked out in gear, a myriad of jerseys ranging from all-black to corn-on-the-cob patterns. Europe’s “The Final Countdown” rang from the speakers. 

The scene continued later beneath the stands, this time between members of the organization. Team president Matt Getz shook hands with team photographer Jason Rubin, offering a heartfelt thank you to Rubin’s five years of service. Later, the two took the ice, joining broadcaster David Fine, student interns, and others for a photo at center ice, capturing one last piece of evidence of not just the season, but the foreseeable future. 

After five seasons of existence, the Heartlanders won’t play any games next year, as Iowa’s only ECHL team opted for a self-imposed suspension of operations for the 2026-27 season. As the team left the ice they called home one last time, embarking toward an uncertain future, Europe’s opening lyrics did the talking for them. 

“We’re leavin’ together/ But still it’s farewell/ And maybe we’ll come back/ To Earth, who can tell?” 

A punch in the face 

Leave it to a hockey team to describe emotions in terms of physical violence. For forward Keltie Jeri-Leon, a Heartlander for the last two seasons, news of the suspension was “a punch to the face.” Weber, with more than two decades of coaching experience, likened the situation to a “kick in the gut.” 

The Heartlanders announced the news to the public on March 9, claiming the team examined all possible solutions before landing on suspending operations, which was approved by the league’s Board of Governors. 

“Despite significant efforts to stabilize and strengthen the organization, we concluded that stepping back for a season is the most responsible course while we review long-term solutions,” said owner Michael Devlin, whose group, Heartlanders LLC, purchased the team in the summer of 2023. “As stewards of the franchise, we believe this step gives the organization the best opportunity to return on a stronger and more sustainable footing.” 

The statement added that during the break, the team would look for potential investments and owner partnerships aimed at long-term success. But without a competing team, players and coaches will start over elsewhere. ECHL players are limited to just one-year contracts, and now enter free agency with one less option. 

Weber said he offered players the chance to seek out new teams that spring, but no one did. The head coach, who moved his family from New York to Iowa when he became the team’s third head coach in June, will begin interviews with teams from Europe and North America. A two-time winner of the Kelly Cup with the Cincinnati Cyclones, Weber wants to keep building championship teams but can’t help but think what would’ve been in Iowa. 

“Unfortunately, you don’t get a chance to run it back,” he said. 

Walking off the ice, Weber thought of the fans, those who invested their time and money toward a team that often lingered near the bottom of the standings, but never lost sight of its community impact. 

“Just disappointed,” the head coach said. 

Undaunted dedication

Colin Foerstner goes to Heartlanders games not just for the fights on the ice but the familiar faces in the stands. There’s superfan Marc Korver of Washington, Iowa, standing near the glass in the aisle between sections 115 and 116. Known affectionately as Antler Man for his custom deer-like headgear, Korver takes charge of goal celebrations, waving his scarf as he pumps his fist in the air, the crowd mimicking his actions as Blur’s “Song 2” plays overhead. He leads friendly heckling of the opposing team’s goaltender, ending each verbal volley with the same punchline: 

“You bum!” he bellows, the crowd around him joining in unison. 

“Everyone having a good time,” Foerstner said. “Love that.” 

Sitting a few rows behind Korver is Nathan Anderson, who attended Iowa’s first game back in October 2021 and wouldn’t dare miss the team’s last. The Heartlanders’ debut game featured more than 4,000 people at the 5,100-seat Xtream Arena, but such sizable attendance has been few and far between. Anderson attends about 30 games a season, but the efforts of him and season-ticket holders only do so much. In an interview with KCRG, Getz declined to specify the team’s earnings but said attendance was an issue. 

Iowa ranked last in the ECHL in average home attendance in four of its five seasons, including last year, when the team posted its first winning record and advanced to the postseason. This season, the Heartlanders averaged 1,627 fans per game, per the Hockey Internet Database, the only team with below 2,000. Iowa’s 188 points this season left it sitting in last place in the league’s Western Conference, where it never finished above eighth. 

“You have the really dedicated people,” Iowa fan Sheyenne Phillips said. “But you have to have a more full arena to keep those seasons going.” 

A lack of fans in seats isn’t for lack of effort. The Heartlanders make themselves known in the community, whether it’s serving food at Andale Cantina in North Liberty, mingling outside the arena at Landers Fan Fest in Coralville, or volunteering at the Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City. 

Similar dedication is found in the team’s employees, such as its 28 student interns. University of Iowa junior Emma Reiter began working for the team at the start of this season, and her role expanded from social media to include photography to merchandise marketing. Interns are compensated by the game and are required to hold unpaid office hours, which for Reiter are now 8-10 per week.

 She was surprised when she heard about the suspension. Applications for next year’s internships were posted online and Reiter and others planned on returning. The initial question on people’s minds back in the office was “What’s the point?” but quickly changed. 

“You can’t sit in sadness for more than a day,” Reiter said.

Reiter kept running the team’s jersey auctions, kept running social media, and kept crafting creative promotional TikToks. Her and the Heartlanders’ work continued, but at season’s end, the team won’t be the same. Getz told KCRG that not everyone will remain on staff during the hiatus. 

A sign inside the door of the Heartlanders’ locker room reads “Trust the Process.” Fine told the crowd in a video message that he hopes this season’s heartbreaking ending will be a “distant memory” when the team returns in 2028. Watching near center ice, Leia Lensing’s beliefs are divided. Her heart begs for the Heartlanders revival, but her brain braces for the worst. 

“I would love to be wrong,” she said. “I just want to be wrong so bad.”