The Minnesota Wild announced that its American Hockey League affiliate for the 2013-14 season will be called the Iowa Wild.

The Iowa Wild will play at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, beginning in the 2013-14 AHL season. The announcement was made today by Wild Owner Craig Leipold at a press conference in Des Moines.

“We are excited to announce that the Iowa Wild will begin play in the 2013-14 AHL season,” Leipold said. “Des Moines is an excellent sports market. Wild fan support is excellent not just in the State of Hockey but throughout the Upper Midwest, including Iowa. We know fans in Des Moines will enjoy watching tomorrow’s Minnesota Wild stars. Our team will be entrenched in this community, particularly in youth hockey.”

“The American Hockey League is looking forward to returning to Iowa this fall,” said AHL President and CEO David Andrews. “Under the leadership of the Minnesota Wild and with the support of the Des Moines community, we are confident that the Iowa Wild will be a successful franchise for years to come.”

The Iowa Wild website is now active at Iowawild.com. Fans can request ticket info on the website, and can also call 1.855.IOA.WILD (1.855.462.9453) to place a $100 deposit on a season ticket. More information on tickets and corporate partnerships will be available in the near future.

“The Board of Supervisors is excited to welcome the Iowa Wild and AHL hockey back to Wells Fargo Arena. The Wild’s commitment brings 100 jobs to our community and we look forward to seeing the first puck drop in Wells Fargo Arena this fall,” stated Polk County Board of Supervisors Chair Tom Hockensmith.

“The Minnesota Wild is a first class organization that has been highly successful in the NHL and we look forward to working with them in parlaying that success over to the AHL team in Des Moines,” said Global Spectrum’s Chris Connolly, General Manager of the Iowa Events Center and Wells Fargo Arena.

Wells Fargo Arena, which opened July 12, 2005, is a 16,000 seat arena located in Des Moines, IA. The arena, part of the Iowa Events Center, is owned by Polk County and professionally managed by Global Spectrum.