The Dunedin Thunder ice hockey team was created in 2008 in Dunedin, New Zealand. In 2021, the team changed its name to Phoenix Thunder in light of the sponsorship agreement between Phoenix Organics and the Thunder. Phoenix Thunder competes in the New Zealand Ice Hockey League (NZIHL). Since its inception, a leadership culture has been set up to promote and develop local players in priority. The vision of Thunder as an organisation is to develop young leaders by teaching them the foundations of high performance. Ice hockey is an amateur sport in New Zealand, but we're seeing growth both in the uptake of the sport and increases in attendance numbers. Each season as we witness more sell out-crowds, increased demand for merchandise and players recognised in the streets by adoring fans; we are motivated to push the envelope even further. There are 5 competitive teams in the NZIHL and a feeder team, The Auckland Mako.