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01-20-2006, 03:19 PM
Owner refuses to cut back on hockey-side expenses
by JIM SWANSON
Citizen Sports Editor

Those who are waiting for the owner of the Prince George Cougars to stroll
the concourse, glad-handing the team's fans and chatting about the weather,
will be waiting a long time.
The thermometer in Hell? Well, it hasn't budged.
Rick Brodsky said it's not an aloof attitude, apathy or arrogance. It's
simply the way he is - and he doesn't want that to take away the focus from
the real stars of the show, the players on the ice.
"They'll be waiting a long time for that, it's not my style," Brodsky said
Wednesday, responding to a question about how personally addressing more
fans might help with the team's plummeting attendance.
"It's not arrogance or anything like that. I'm hoping, really, that I don't
have to have much to do with what happens here. I would like it to be the
(players), not me. I think the kids deserve the support, not me. It's funny,
my brother (Saskatoon Blades part-owner Jack Brodsky) went through all that
in Saskatoon and he loves it. I can't do it. I'm going to watch the game,
I'm not going to schmooze with the people during the game like he did,
shaking hands and talking to people walking around the concourse in
SaskPlace, being a good guy and joining the Chamber of Commerce and doing
all that other stuff. You know what? His attendance is no hell either, and
he's got a first-place team. When we were drawing good crowds I wasn't doing
that then, either.
"I don't know the answer, but I want our players to go out in the community.
I know (Cougars business manager Brandi Brodsky) and Dallas (general manager
Thompson) go out a lot, and the players go out, and to me that's what it has
to be all about. I know there are complaints about me living in Kelowna,
this and that, well I spend more time in Prince George than I do in Kelowna.
I guess if it's all about me, we're going to have a tough time here."
Rick Brodsky, a former two-time WHL chairman of the board who has been
involved with the league for more than 25 years, said he wants the people of
Prince George to focus on the players, the team on the ice. He's heard the
criticisms - absentee owner, only in it for a buck, and unwilling to spend
enough money on scouting.
"I don't think it's about me. I think it's about people wanting to buy a
ticket to support the local team and be entertained," said Brodsky.
"I honestly don't even see where I come in on this. I just happen to be
holding the cheques, but that's where I'm having trouble with this being
about me. It wasn't about me when we first came, and it's not about me now.
It's the same old thing, when I was really involved people said if I left
the thing alone they'd be better (on the ice). Now they're saying if I was
here more, they'd be better. So it doesn't matter what you do. There's no
one more grateful than me for the 3,000 people who come to the games, make
no doubt about that. I do want to thank them for that. What's important is
what the team is doing on the ice, not what I'm doing."
That means, Brodsky said, continuing to operate as they have, looking to
grasp that elusive pennant or, better yet, a championship.
"Contrary to what people are saying - and people can say what they say - I
tell Dallas and the people in our office that we're not going to do
different things as a hockey club because people aren't coming in," said
Brodsky.
"It's coming out of my pocket, but we're not going to stop traveling a day
ahead, or we're not going to start cutting costs. It's the natural thing to
do when you're losing money in any business, but it's like cutting your own
throat in the hockey business. What are you going to do, cut out the
scouting because it costs too much? Or stay at (bad) hotels or not feed the
kids right? You can't do any of that stuff, all you can do is keep going."