Manchester Storm ice hockey club is returning to its original AO Arena home after 24 years. The team will move from Planet Ice in Altrincham to the city's 23,000-capacity venue for the upcoming season. Founded in 1995, Storm played at the Manchester Arena initially and became inaugural champions of the Ice Hockey Superleague in 1996, setting a British attendance record of 17,245 fans in 1997 that still stands today.

The return comes amid growing popularity of ice hockey in the UK. Emma and Ryan Finnerty, representing Storm's ownership, stated the move aims to "give our fans a premier stage in the heart of the city and deliver an outstanding live experience." The club left the arena in 2002 but now sees an opportunity to expand its fanbase at the larger venue that can accommodate significantly more spectators.

Arena general manager Gemma Vaughan expressed pride at Storm's return to the "UK's largest indoor sporting arena," noting the homecoming will boost local businesses and create more fan engagement opportunities. The move represents a major development for ice hockey in Britain and strengthens Manchester's position as a sporting hub, coming just months after Storm reached the play-off finals for the first time in 24 years.