A last ditch effort to keep the West 麻豆精选 Warriors where they are is underway.
Alex Draper, the team鈥檚 director of business operations, is among a group of dedicated locals putting their time toward drumming up interest for a new ownership coalition.
鈥淲e have a couple irons in the fire, but we need more investors,鈥� said Draper, who started the effort in earnest last week.
鈥淧eople started expressing interest and we thought, 鈥榣et鈥檚 do what we can then we can look in the mirror and say we did the best we could.鈥欌��
In addition to private investors looking into the feasibility of a group-ownership plan, Draper said they鈥檝e also had support from the City of West 麻豆精选.
Bob Kusch, West 麻豆精选鈥檚 Parks, Recreation and Culture Manager, on Tuesday submitted a report, that recommended council approve the application of 鈥淗ome of the 2016 RBC Cup Champions鈥� decals on all city vehicles should the West 麻豆精选 Warriors remain.
鈥溾�hey are seeking support from the city to express pride and support for the franchise and recognize the teams鈥� achievements,鈥� read Kusch鈥檚 report.
鈥淭he new proposed ownership group believes, that by doing so, the city would assist in their efforts to increase the fan base.鈥�
Draper said that鈥檚 just the tip of the iceberg. The city has also told them it鈥檚 open to releasing advertising space to the team in Royal LePage Place that could offer an additional revenue stream.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e told us, 鈥榃e want you guys here,鈥欌�� said Draper.
Draper acknowledges that keeping the team local isn鈥檛 going to be easy, but there鈥檚 precedence with three community-owned teams in the league.
鈥淔or these teams local investment has come together and they have a local board that can pass laws and that kind of thing,鈥� he said.
While the specifics are far from being hammered out, Draper said it鈥檚 clear there鈥檚 a contingent of hockey-minded residents who want it to happen and he wants to help.
鈥淭he other day a 10-year-old in 麻豆精选 minor hockey come up to me and ask, 鈥榠f the Warriors leave am I still a Warrior?鈥欌�� he said.
鈥淵ou hear that kind of thing and you have to do what you can.鈥�
The plan to move the team to Delta is still moving ahead, but Draper said that if something happens to keep the team local the current owner would support it.
鈥淗e always wanted to keep the team here, the three or four years he was selling it we hoped it was going to be to a local investor,鈥� he said.
Warriors鈥� owner Mark Cheyne signed a letter of intent to transfer ownership of the club to a Delta businessman last month, with the move subject to approval by the league鈥檚 board of governors.
The team was a money-losing venture since moving to West 麻豆精选 from Langley in 2006, Cheyne took over sole ownership of the club in 2009.
With an RBC Cup championship run last season, Cheyne hoped the club鈥檚 financial fortunes would finally take a turn for the better. But with community support for the team and attendance remaining stagnant this season, Cheyne said the writing was on the wall.
鈥淲e were never even close to breaking even once and after awhile it鈥檚 just no fun anymore,鈥� Cheyne said. 鈥淭he last few years, you look for that light at the end of the tunnel, and when we won it all last year, we hoped that would be it.
鈥淚 was told once you get by Vernon, once you get by Penticton, once you win something big, it鈥檒l turn around,鈥� Cheyne added. 鈥淏ut the light at the end never came.鈥�
To get in touch with Draper email alex@westkelowna.ca.
