Former NFL star Tim Tebow sets his sights on hockey.

Former National Football League star Tim Tebow is diving head first into the hockey world.

In somewhat of a surprising announcement, the ECHL announced on Wednesday that it would be expanding its league after approving an expansion application for Augusta, Georgia. Augusta, Georgia is already known for being the site of the PGA's world famous Masters Tournament and it would seem that the ECHL is looking to capitalize on the deep and rich sporting history of that city.

Just as interesting to fans as the news of a team itself will be the news regarding who will be at the helm of that team, with CEO of Hodges Management Group, David Hodges, set to lead the charge alongside none other than former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow.

That being said the team isn't set to begin operations, at least not on the ice, until the 2027-28 ECHL season but it will bring the ECHL's total number of team's to 32, lining up with the current number of teams both in the American Hockey League and in the National Hockey League.

It would seem that the former NFL star intends to be very involved with the project, even releasing a statement alongside today's official announcement from the ECHL.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to bring hockey back to Augusta with our partnership group," said Tebow. "We are excited to see this team bring people together from all over the country to enjoy camaraderie, competition, and community impact. Our desire is to make a positive impact both on and off the ice. We can’t wait for the puck drop in October of 2027!"

Although Tebow did not achieve a great deal of success on the field as an NFL player, he was widely viewed as one of the most popular players in the league during his time there, fresh off of a Heisman Trophy winning season as a collegiate athlete in 2007. His long history as a professional athlete will likely give him a unique perspective into running a professional sports franchise and I for one am looking forward to seeing his success as an owner.

The ECHL previously had a team in Augusta, Georgia, the Augusta Lynx, but they unfortunately became the first team in ECHL history to fold mid-season when they did so during the 2008-09 season.