They were a member of the United Hockey League and played in the Roanoke Civic Center.

While professional ice hockey had been previously played and successful in the Virginian towns of Roanoke, Salem and Vinton since 1967,[1] the Vipers were unsuccessful on and off the ice with a losing record in their lone season in Virginia and an average attendance of about 1,000 fans in an arena with a capacity of over 9,000.

Local fans complained about high ticket prices and a lower level of play than the ECHL.

[citation needed] The midwestern focus of the UHL also made rivalries less intense than they had been with the southeastern and mid-Atlantic teams of the ECHL.

[citation needed] The owners and their marketing plans were frequently criticized by local media.