Athens, Ga.'s New Pro Hockey Team Is Named After a B-52s Song

Athens, Ga. has a new pro hockey team and its name has deep ties to the city's famed music scene.

After a fan vote, the new minor league team was christened the Rock Lobsters, named after the song of the same name by hometown heroes the B-52s.

Rock Lobsters beat out Classic City Panic, inspired by another Athens music act, the jam band Widespread Panic by just 565 votes, with more than 8,000 ballots cast, according to OnlineAthens. The team will play in the ECHL (East Coast Hockey League).

"Rock Lobster" is the B-52s debut single, first released in 1978 by the indie label DB Records. Another version of the quirky new wave classic, written by singer Fred Schneider and the late guitarist Ricky Wilson, was recorded for Warner Bros. and appeared on the band's self-titled 1979 album.

"From the start, we knew we wanted a name that encapsulates the unique energy and spirit of Athens," Britton Briley, director of marketing for the Rock Lobsters, said, as quoted by OnlineAthens. "The response from the community was incredible. The name 'Rock Lobsters' struck a chord with our fans, blending music, creativity, and a touch of humor. It's the perfect identity for our hockey team."

According to the outlet, the team's logo is still being designed, but a preliminary concept focuses on a lobster holding an electric guitar/hockey stick.

Though the B-52s, known for such hits as "Love Shack" and "Roam," aren't necessarily a group you'd associate with sports, the band seemed thrilled by the news.

"Athens, Georgia is our birthplace and where we started our journey 'down the Atlanta Highway' to spread our home grown groove out to the universe," The B-52s said in the statement. "'Rock Lobster' was one of our very first songs and we can testify that millions in the galaxy have gone wild to this deep sea surf anthem. We are truly honored to have our hometown hockey team named the Rock Lobsters. As the song declares, 'Let's rock!'"

Among the first to share the news was fellow musician David Lowery of Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven, and a senior lecturer on the music business at the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business in Athens. He shared an image of the team's new name along with the words, "It's happening. Athens new ECHL team," on X, formerly Twitter.

The B-52s, Schneider, vocalist/organist Kate Pierson, vocalist/percussionist Cindy Wilson, and guitarist/drummer/keyboardist Keith Strickland, played their "final tour" in 2022, the band occasionally has some upcoming festival dates in July and is returning to Las Vegas for a residency in November.