Area Residents Optimistic About WHL Hockey Again
Prince George, B.C. – The transfer of ownership of the Prince George Cougars won’t be completed until next Thursday, but the unanimous approval of the sale of the team by the WHL’s Board of Governors has definitely lifted the spirits of hockey fans in Prince George.
The new owners are EDGEPRo Sports and Entertainment Ltd, which includes investors Greg Pocock, Dan Hamhuis, Eric Brewer, Ernest Ouellet, Ray Fortier and John Pateman. They have purchased the club from the Brodsky family for a reported, but unconfirmed, $7 million.
Following years of losing records on the ice and low attendance in the stands, it seems that the change in ownership is sparking renewed interest in the WHL team within and outside the community. The new Manager of CN Centre, Glen Mikkelsen, says while he doesn’t have actual numbers or specifics, “I can certainly tell you that just by observation the number of people that are coming in to talk to our box offices has certainly been an increase from this time last year. People have been coming by and asking questions and putting deposits down on season tickets, so there’s real optimism back around our city as far as the hockey business goes.”
Mikkelsen says “it’s fantastic news for everybody concerned, not just our venue and the team, but the community as a whole, it’s super. He says the Brodskys still own the team and ticket sale numbers are not available right now. “After May 8th, at that point the new ownership will take control of the Cougars and they may be able or willing to offer some information at that point.”
Meantime Mikkelsen says the City is not currently involved in negotiations with the EdgePRo group on the use of CN Centre. “We haven’t had any conversations as far as that being looked at. Our assumption is that we will proceed under the present agreement, but there isn’t any news to tell you until that new ownership group comes in.” He says the new group hasn’t approached the City to talk about what a new arrangement might look like.
Comments
I remember when the talk of the town was the cougars, of course that was many years ago.. I really hope it will be again.
The old ownership hasn’t set the bar to high with the way they ran the team into the ground so,let’s hope the new owners will have the passion we need to have a winning team. Hopefully they will make pg a place kids want to come play, not refuse to come here.
Probably among the strongest financial ownership in the WHL now. This isn’t being emphasised enough just how fortunate the city is to have this stable ownership group.
Great to have a stable ownership group. (One would have to assume that the previous owners who were here for 20 years must have also been stable)
Under the present contract the more attendance, the more money made by the City, which in turn off-sets the losses at CN Centre, so that’s a positive.
Quote in the Citizen paper May 2nd by Pocock.
**We’re not assuming that because there’s new ownership that the place will be full” said Pocock. We have to prove on an ongoing basis that we’re worthy of their business**
@Leroyjenkins: I agree entirely. We went from having the worst ownership to strong ownership overnight.
As soon as they turf the current GM, the team will be on the right path for the first time in 20 years.
Sell an old turkey to a new owner and what does he get? An old turkey. So don’t hold your breath!
Change name to PG Milfs.
Hopefully we as taxpayers do not have to keep subsidizing this team for the CN Centre.
Time for a new contract to stop it! Is the figure around $500,000 correct that we subsidize a year?
You don’t get into this game without having deep pockets, it’s a requirement. What separates the best teams from the worst, is whether they can attract the right people to run the organization.
There are a number of things that I think bode very well for the franchise moving forward:
1) Stable local ownership with deep pockets and a proven track record of success with their ventures. This adds high credibility from the business side of things.
2) A direct NHL connection with Hamhuis and Brewer. This adds instant credibility from the hockey side of things.
3) I think the timing is right. People want to see things return to what they were and by all accounts, interest is increasing as we speak.
4) I really get the sense that this purchase is as much about restoring something that the community can be proud of, as it is with acquiring a business investment. Pride is a powerful motivator and I think this group is really focused on putting its best effort into getting this right for PG.
I really hope they can put together a group of talented people on the hockey side of things to turn the ship around. There is nothing I would love better than to watch a Memorial Cup at the refurbished rink in downtown Ottawa, with the WHL rep wearing PG jerseys.
You’re right, NoWay. The Cougars will not instantly be a better team overnight. It will take time.
At least now we have owners that appear committed and have good hockey pedigree.
Hopefully the new owners will bring the guys back into the community, off the rink. I’ve spoken with a few former WHL players who loved PG but said the management was one of the worst they had played for. I believe that sentiment is shared with the fans in PG. This could be a great hockey town and win or lose, the CN centre should have fans in the stands.
old owners, new owners let hockey people run it that’s what they do , we now have that input, now we as fans do your job go out and support it, it will happen, most things are simple for some reason people have to get it complicated. Go out and enjoy root for the home team.
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