The Battlefords North Stars have taken care of business on the ice recently with six straight wins, first place in the SJHL and a spot on the CJHL's top 20 rankings.
Now it is time for the fans in the Battlefords to do their part.
The population of North Battleford and Battleford add up to nearly 18,000, which puts them and Yorkton, at 17,603, well ahead of the rest of the league and above the average population of an SJHL centre, which is 8,275.
So it has been established there are plenty of people around to go to junior hockey games in the Battlefords. So why have the North Stars brought in 20 less people than the league average of 649 this season?
Estevan with a population of around 13,000 leads the league with and average 1,224 fans per home game. The Bruins are playing their first season in a new area and that is a major contributor to the strong attendance all season. Last year, through September and October, the Bruins didn't have a crowd over 730. This year, they haven't had less than 1,000 in any of their eight home games. So their large attendance boost is justified simply by a new state of the art facility.
So besides a new facility what brings people out to SJHL games?
For some it is the roster and the fact that many of the players are imports and some of the players on the team are unknown. In the North Stars defence, they have the more locally produced players on their roster than any other team in the SJHL.
Of the 12 SJHL teams, the average number of local players per team is 2.17. The North Stars lead that statistic with six local players on the team and a total of 12 players returning from last season's roster, which is right on par with the league average for returning players.
The North Stars make themselves available to simply talk hockey or help out the community when they can. Recently they could be found visiting schools in the Battlefords playing floor hockey and reading with the kids. They make appearances on the radio, Internet, TV and in the newspaper. They can often be found in the community as a group of 21 at the gym, the movie theatre, golfing or simply watching hockey games. Some of the players also work at local business or attend high school.
This is a community-based organization and now the community has a chance to not only continue their support but improve on it and live up to the title as one of the best places to play in the SJHL and home of the best supported team.
The other question I have is whether it is ticket prices that keep the Battlefords North Stars below the league average in attendance.
The North Stars charge $13 for a single gate adult ticket Estevan and Yorkton charge a dollar more while some the rest of the teams charge either the same amount or a dollar less. The North Stars also opened the door to children 10 and under for free this season, if accompanied by an adult.
The ideas to get more people into the rink are there. Two seasons ago the Civic Centre became licensed to serve alcoholic drinks in the stands during games, and the security budget went up to ensure that transition went smoothly. That erased some excuses for not going to local hockey games.
Local businesses back the team with game day sponsorships, board signs and stickers found all around the rink to support the team financially.
The next step is to support the team with bodies at the rink.
The argument that fans don't get their money's worth when going to a hockey game is hard to support. The North Stars have put forward a strong effort this season and are committed to the product they put on the ice. It is a known fact there are more options for entertainment or a night out in the Battlefords, but if you look at the talent that has passed through the program and those players currently on the roster the SJHL's motto, "rich tradition strong future" holds true.
Not long ago, the North Stars averaged 1,100 fans, after some slumping seasons and what some would argue were underachieving seasons the organization is ready to pack the Civic Centre and get back to the glory days where 1,000 regularly showed up in the 2,500 capacity arena.
I remember leaving school early and driving to North Battleford to wait in line hours before the game for tickets between the North Stars and the Weyburn Red Wings in 2000. Yes, that was playoffs and playoffs can be considered an entirely different story, but still the atmosphere and anticipation for each game was enough to send chills down any hockey fans' back.
I believe the Battlefords have what it takes to once again sends chills down not only the players' spines with their support, but the spines of fans and volunteers who have been going back year after year and waiting for others to come back to the rink to take up their regular spot in support of the North Stars.
The players are doing their job it is time to encourage the old and new fans to do their.
