The Evansville Thunderbolts are an expansion team from Evansville, Indiana . The team commences play with the 2016-17 season. They will play in the Southern Professional Hockey League at the Ford Center. The junior team announced they would be known as the Junior Thunderbolts in April of 2016 SPHL team after the areas new Southern Professional Hockey League franchise announced it was taking the name Evansville Thunderbolts when they start play in the fall of 2016. There is no management/ownership connection between the two organizations.