Hampton Gulls

The Hampton Gulls were a professional ice hockey team based in Hampton, Virginia and were a farm team for the Cincinnati Stingers of the WHA. The Gulls were a member of the Southern Hockey League for three seasons from 1974–75 to 1976–77, and the American Hockey League for one season in 1977–78. John Brophy was the team's coach for all four seasons.

In 1974, the Fayetteville Arsenal, an expansion team in the SHL, failed to secure home ice and scheduled dates. The Arsenal wound up as the Hampton Gulls just as the season opened. The Gulls were able to secure plenty of available dates at the Hampton Coliseum, because the Virginia Wings of the AHL had changed their home arena across the Hampton Roads bay in Norfolk, Virginia.

The Gulls played three winning seasons in the SHL, and were the league's regular season champions in 1977. When the league folded after that season, the Gulls were approved as an expansion franchise in the AHL. Due to the financial strain in the higher league, the Gulls were unable to complete the 1977–78 schedule, folding on February 10, 1978.

Minor professional hockey would return five seasons later in 1982–83, as the Hampton Roads Gulls of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League.

This market was previously home to:

• Virginia Wings (1972–1975 of the American Hockey League)

The franchise was replaced by:

• Hampton Roads Gulls (1982–1983 ACHL)
• Hampton Roads Admirals of the ECHL (1989–2000)
• Norfolk Admirals of the AHL (2000–present)