The Cincinnati Stingers: The WHA’s Buzz in the Queen City

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In the mid-1970s, Cincinnati was humming with baseball glory from the Big Red Machine, football fans were cheering on the Bengals, and chili was being ladled over spaghetti like it was a food group. Ice hockey? That was about as familiar as surfing on the Ohio River.

And yet, in 1974, the World Hockey Association decided the Queen City needed a sting. Enter the Cincinnati Stingers—a team with a buzzing bee logo, bright yellow jerseys, and a dream of turning a baseball town into a hockey haven. It was bold, it was quirky, and for four seasons, it gave Cincinnati a taste of big-league hockey, WHA-style.

Why Cincinnati? The WHA was all about breaking boundaries, and the league saw untapped potential in a growing sports market. Plus, the city had a shiny new arena—the Riverfront Coliseum—just begging for slapshots and Zambonis. So, with optimism in their hearts and a mascot that looked ready to sting someone, the Stingers took the ice.

Birth of the Stingers (1975)

The Cincinnati Stingers officially buzzed into existence in 1975, part of the WHA’s grand plan to plant hockey flags in places where the NHL feared to skate.

The name “Stingers” was a stroke of marketing genius. It conjured speed, sting, and a little danger—perfect for a league that prided itself on being the rebel cousin of the NHL. The logo? A fierce-looking bee wielding a hockey stick, ready to jab anyone who doubted Cincinnati’s hockey cred. And the colours? Bold yellow and black, because subtlety was never the WHA’s strong suit.

From day one, the Stingers promised excitement. They signed familiar names like Rick Dudley and Blaine Stoughton, hoping to lure fans with a mix of grit and flash. The team’s first season was a learning curve—on ice and off. Cincinnatians were curious, but hockey was still the new kid at the sports table, sitting awkwardly between baseball royalty and football fever.

Still, optimism buzzed through the Riverfront Coliseum. The WHA had given Cincinnati a big-league team, and for a moment, it felt like the Queen City was ready to embrace the chill.

Life in the WHA: Highs and Lows

The Cincinnati Stingers’ four-year run in the WHA was a bit like riding a roller coaster blindfolded—thrilling, unpredictable, and occasionally terrifying. On paper, the team had promise: a shiny new arena, a catchy name, and a roster sprinkled with talent. In practice? Well, let’s just say the buzz didn’t always translate into wins.

The Highs
The Stingers managed to ice some serious talent. Blaine Stoughton lit the lamp with sniper precision, while Rick Dudley brought grit and leadership. For a time, the team even boasted future NHL stars like Mike Gartner and Mark Messier—yes, that Messier, though he was still a teenager learning the ropes. When the Stingers clicked, they played fast, aggressive hockey that could make the Riverfront Coliseum roar.

The Lows
Unfortunately, consistency was not their strong suit. The WHA was a league of financial tightropes and roster roulette, and the Stingers weren’t immune. Attendance was respectable but never spectacular, and Cincinnati—bless its chili-loving heart—never fully warmed to hockey. The team hovered around mediocrity, making the playoffs twice but bowing out quickly. Off the ice, the WHA’s instability loomed like a storm cloud, and the Stingers knew their future was tied to a league that was wobbling on its skates.

The NHL Merger and the Stingers’ Fate

By 1979, the WHA was running on fumes, and the long-rumoured merger with the NHL finally came to pass. For four lucky WHA franchises—Edmonton, Hartford, Quebec, and Winnipeg—it was a golden ticket to hockey’s big stage. For the Cincinnati Stingers? Well, let’s just say the invitation got lost in the mail.

Despite having a modern arena and a roster sprinkled with talent, the Stingers didn’t make the cut. Geography played a role—the NHL already had a strong Midwest presence—and so did economics. Cincinnati was a respectable hockey town, but not enough to sway the NHL’s bean counters. When the dust settled, the Stingers were left on the outside looking in.

The team tried to keep the dream alive, briefly joining the Central Hockey League for the 1979–80 season. But without the WHA’s marquee names and with dwindling fan interest, the buzz faded fast. By 1980, the Stingers were gone—another casualty of hockey’s great consolidation.

Still, their story didn’t end entirely in obscurity. Several Stingers alumni went on to NHL stardom, and Cincinnati’s flirtation with big-league hockey remains a quirky chapter in the city’s sports history. For four seasons, the Queen City had a sting—and it was sweet while it lasted.

Legacy of the Stingers

The Cincinnati Stingers may have been short-lived, but their sting left a mark that still buzzes in hockey lore. For starters, they were a launchpad for future legends. Mike Gartner, who would skate his way into the Hockey Hall of Fame, wore a Stingers jersey before terrorizing NHL goalies. And then there was a young Mark Messier—yes, the man who would one day hoist six Stanley Cups—getting his first taste of pro hockey in Cincinnati.

The Cincinnati Stingers were never destined to be hockey royalty—but for four seasons, they gave the Queen City a taste of big-league ice. They arrived with bold colours, a feisty mascot, and a dream of turning a baseball town into a hockey haven. And while they didn’t make the NHL cut, their story is far from a footnote.

Today, the Riverfront Coliseum, now known as the Heritage Bank Center still stands, and so does the memory of a team that buzzed brightly before fading away. For fans who were there, the Stingers weren’t just a hockey team—they were a bold experiment, a flash of yellow and black, and proof that sometimes the most interesting stories come from the underdogs.

So here’s to the Cincinnati Stingers: gone, but never forgotten. A sting that still lingers in hockey lore.