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View Full Version : A ‘no-brainer market’ for WHL



CdnSailor
09-25-2011, 08:29 AM
With the words “Welcome to Victoria Royals hockey. The tradition begins. It’s time to make some noise. Are you ready for it?” bellowing through Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Saturday night, Vancouver Island officially welcomed back the Western Hockey League for the first time since 1994.

And indications are executives from across the league believe Victoria couldn’t be a more natural fit.

“I think this is a good market to go in to. I think our league was going in [to Victoria], or a different league was going in,” said Vancouver Giants general manager Scott Bonner, alluding to the American Hockey League. “It wasn’t going to be the East Coast league [ECHL} at all.

“I think they’re going to put on a good show for their fans. Habby’s [Victoria general manager and head coach Marc Habscheid’s] teams always play hard and I know that [owner] Graham Lee and his right-hand man, Dave Dakers, are successful businessmen.

“I think they will run it like a pro operation. That’s why I’m excited about welcoming them back to the league. I think it’s a no-brainer market,” said Bonner, who watched 6,800 fans flow into Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver on Friday as the Giants dumped the Royals 5-2 to start off the new rivalry.

Bonner wasn’t alone in his thinking as the early reviews showed promise for the Victoria franchise, which sailed west from Chilliwack.

“We’re very excited. As we’ve all been saying for a long time, it’s a key market in the western Canadian territory and to be back in Victoria and to serve … WHL action is very exciting for us,” said WHL director of communications Cory Flett.

“It’s a key media market as well with the legislature here, there is lots of media and lots of opportunity to expose our product to a whole different fan base.”

They were 7,006 strong for the opener and most mingled about during warmups before coming to life for introductions.

“That’s 7,006 fans, and that includes 6,000 cowbells [handed out at the door], so it’s a great atmosphere and we get to bring it across western Canada on Shaw TV so it gives the city even more exposure,” said a pleased Flett.

mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com



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