Friday 21 November 2014

Hurricanes Announce Advisory Panel

At a news conference Friday morning, the Lethbridge Hurricanes were joined by officials with the ENMAX Centre and Ron Sakamoto in announcing new board initiatives and a new Advisory Committee.

 

In partnership with the City of Lethbridge and Ron Sakamoto, the mandate of the Advisory Committee is to help support the Hurricanes community owned franchise with promotion, fundraising initiatives and ticket sales. Lethbridge Hurricanes Board President, Doug Paisley adds “a key component behind the committee is for the ENMAX Centre to work with us in helping build the identity and culture of our hockey club. We’re looking to achieve this with banners and other identifiable markers that commemorate the heritage and the past players that have achieved the highest level in the sport.”

 

Ron Sakamoto, the leading music promoter in Canada as well as a long time supporter of organizations and businesses in Lethbridge and Southern Alberta, continues to give back and he wants to see success come to the Hurricanes. Sakamoto does business across Canada, but he’s passionate about what happens here. “I live here, this is my home, this is my community and I’m really proud of it. In order to keep this a community owned team, I’m happy to lend my support to the organization but we have to have everyone’s help to keep them in the community.” 

 

Sakamoto is looking at bringing in new initiatives to the table including the introduction of new benefits to Season Ticket Holders as well as bringing in concerts with proceeds that would benefit the club.

4 comments:

  1. This is certainly a great piece of news for the community owned hockey club. Support/cooperation from the Enmax Centre is long overdue and any initiatives being brought forth by the very well respected Ron Sakamoto should benefit the club.
    These announcements are great. However, the situation with the Hurricanes still comes down to one key factor, the on-ice product. Five years and counting without a winning hockey club, and without a playoff game.
    Interestingly enough, all this comes about since a certain President of the organization is out of the picture.

    RJS

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  2. I will admit when I told the wife that the Hurricanes were holding a press conference we got a little giddy. We were following on social media to see if what most people expect to happen had finally happened. But no. Robson and Berehowsky are both somehow still employed by the team.

    I wholeheartedly agree that there needs to be more presence in the building and far more attention devoted to the players and organization of the past. As a season ticket holder I always appreciate the perks whether it is a calendar, a mug or a hoodie. Being able to buy tickets early to a Gold & Gold concert will also be nice although we don't do many of those anymore.

    But I believe season ticket holders would give up all the perks in exchange for management and coaching that will allow us to see real competition and progress on the ice. We just want to see the players have a fighting chance out there. We want to get behind the lads and see a few of them realize their dreams by being drafted into the NHL. We want to see trades made that we can be excited about and not feel like we are always being taken to the cleaners. We want to see a coach who respects his players and his support staff and knows how to accept responsibility for his team's results instead of constantly passing the blame off onto a bunch of kids. We want to know that our players are proud to be a Lethbridge Hurricane, that they look forward to returning here every fall and will look back on their time in the club and the city with fondness. This is all we want. Is any of that on the advisory committee's agenda?

    Paisley is calling for the city to get behind the team. Adding more perks for season ticket holders isn't the answer. Listening to the concerns of the community and acting appropriately in the best interest of the players and the organization is the answer. Protecting the positions of one or two people with this horrendous record and zero results makes today's announcement look like more song and dance.

    Call me when the right press conference happens.

    -cc

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    Replies
    1. Very well said, CC. I too, think this is a song and dance. It sounds as if the Hurricanes will have become a charity case. Meaning, the Advisory Panel will be promoting entertainment with the proceeds going toward paying off debt and other financial deficits the team is running. Is that what this is going to be?

      I also don't understand Sakamoto's comments in the Lethbridge Herald. He states that the team will be moved if somebody doesn't do something (these comments were published in the Lethbridge Herald, not included with this post). Once again, someone stating that the team will be moved. I know for a fact that when the commissioner was in town this past summer, he stated that there will be WHL hockey in Lethbridge. He didn't say it would be the Hurricanes, but he DID state there will be a WHL franchise in Lethbridge. I wish people (including Mr. Sakamoto) would stop fear-mongering the community into thinking we won't have junior hockey in Lethbridge as it just isn't true.

      LaRon

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  3. Well said CC

    Derek Sutton

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