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Hampton Roads, Virginia, has a hockey tradition dating back to the 1970s with several minor league teams. However, it was not until 1989 that hockey took permanent root in the area. The Admirals began play during the 1989-90 season in the upstart East Coast Hockey League. From 1989-90 to 1999-2000, the Admirals won three league championships while averaging nearly 7,000 fans per night. The team was seen as a blueprint for running a minor league hockey franchise and is largely credited with helping the ECHL grow from an eight-team league to the premier hockey league that it is today. In 2000, the Admirals graduated to the American Hockey Leagues top minor league. The Admirals continued the winning tradition of its predecessor, as Admirals squads advanced to the playoffs in a staggering 18 consecutive seasons from 1990 to 2007. Hundreds of the best prospects in hockey have realized their potential to be NHL players after developing in Norfolk with the Admirals. The Admirals have more than 750 wins, over 5,000 goals scored and have had more than four million fans pass through the turnstiles since 1989. More than 150 players who have passed through Norfolk have played in the National Hockey League. Today, the Norfolk Admirals continue to strive to develop high-quality hockey players for the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning while providing the people of Hampton Roads with the top-quality, affordable entertainment they have come to expect from Admirals hockey. The 2010-11 season saw Norfolk return to the Calder Cup Playoffs and have fans excited for the future of the club. Without a doubt, the Admirals' biggest rivals come from within the East Division including the Hershey (PA) Bears, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (PA) Penguins and Charlotte (NC) Checkers. The Admirals are also an integral part of the Hampton Roads community. Since 1989, Admirals players, coaches and staff have worked countless thousands of hours with local charities. Admirals events such as Pink in the Rink to benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, the Muscular Dystrophy Association Jersey Auction, Special Olympics Night, Boy Scout Night and many more have raised over one million dollars over the past two decades. As the team's name suggests, the Admirals have always had close ties to the military in Hampton Roads. Such a large portion of the local population is military most transported away from their hometowns in the service of our country. With multiple Military Appreciation Nights throughout the season in addition to a military discount for every home game, the Admirals strive to give service men and women a new home team to cheer for. The Admirals frequently work with area bases, commands and MWR representatives to provide service men and women with a low-cost night of entertainment at Admirals games. http://norfolkadmirals.com/