Connolly Not Returning

[wombats]

So with it official, is it time to blow up the team of its older players not producing?

The team has some very good solid youth, but can they carry it to a playoff appearance?

Fans are not happy based on the attendance.....Prince George does not want to lose their Cougars, but something has to give....

Maybe some front office changes....

[Giantsfan]

The Cougars have had attendance problems for about a decade. It's too bad because there are a lot of hockey fans in the area, but because of Brodsky, people refuse to go. He's like the Harold Ballard of the WHL. He has no business running a WHL team. They have been terrible for a long time, & the fans show their displeasure by not going. I hope the Cougars don't move, but I don't see the attendance getting any better as long as he owns them. He has no interest in selling the team either, but they have to be losing money hand over fist & eventually, something has to give.

[patsdude114]

i heard there is a nice rink in Chilliwack that really wants a WHL team again..... just what i hear.....lol

[the flying moose]

I really wish something would change. It's so disheartening as a fan to go to a games and see no more than 900 fans in the building and I can't imagine how disheartening that must be to see as a player.

[wombats]

The "announced" attendance on Friday was over 2000, and on Saturday it was around 1900. Considering this was a last placed team, when they were advertising that this was the year the team was going for it, I think it is fair. Also looking at the past few seasons the Cougars have not had great years.

For the attendance to be high, the team has to be winning. Fans will only take so long. Some teams in the OHL have overcome the "cycle" mentality and tend to reload each year. That being said it can only be done that way if
a) you have a program that kids want to go to
b) you have management buy in.

Teams most successful with this approach: London Knights, Windsor Spitfires, and Plymouth Whalers.

[johnnyradiant]

...
That being said it can only be done that way if
a) you have a program that kids want to go to
b) you have management buy in.

Teams most successful with this approach: London Knights, Windsor Spitfires, and Plymouth Whalers.

and
c) ownership willing to provide all the right management and resources
d) management capable of making contact with the right kids to want to go (see point a)

[Section_Z]

I was going off on a long Rant, but it got erased. Really it comes down to this.
PG is a Great Hockey Town, moreso than many Home teams in the Dub. Why don't they get the attendance...
Well, I do consider that a management problem, as there is no other reason why they should not pull decent numbers from the hockey fan base in PG.
Kids in PG love Hockey. Parents drive them to practice at 6 am.
Fans will come to Cougars games, but if management can't produce a contending team in 10 years...well, yes..I would go back to watching the Kings at the Coliseum, too...
Signed,

A Giants Fan, who wishes that the Cougars can survive in his home town....