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ECHL Worcester Railers HC

Full Steam Ahead: Railers Remain Committed to Worcester for the Long-Haul

March 15, 2023 - ECHL (ECHL)
Worcester Railers HC News Release


A crowd at the DCU Center cheers on the Worcester Railers
A crowd at the DCU Center cheers on the Worcester Railers
(Worcester Railers HC)

WORCESTER, Mass. - The Worcester Railers Hockey Club (@RailersHC), proud ECHL (@ECHL) affiliate of the New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) in partnership with the DCU Center and City of Worcester are pleased to announce a 5-year extension of the Worcester Railers venue lease with an additional five-year option.

"The Railers play an integral role in Central Massachusetts," Railers Team Owner, Cliff Rucker said. "The team was designed to be a community-first organization and we have made a significant impact. We are proud to be a part of this community and our ability to drive hundreds of thousands of visitors to downtown Worcester. We look forward to making the next five seasons our most successful and hope to bring a Kelly Cup to Worcester soon." The Railers are currently number two in the ECHL in corporate partnerships and are experiencing a 30% increase in season attendance.

The Railers are celebrating their seventh year in Worcester and fifth season playing at the DCU Center. Ruckers announced the team's name and intention to bring hockey to the city in 2016. The Railers have received the coveted ECHL Community Service Team of the Year award four years running and have contributed more than $1.2 million to community programs through the Worcester Railers HC Foundation. The Railers' signature program, Skate to Success, presented by UMass Memorial Health, has provided a learn-to-skate field trip and healthy lunch to more than 20,000 Worcester Public School fourth graders since its inception.

"The City of Worcester is proud to continue its partnership with the Worcester Railers HC," City Manager Eric D. Batista said. "The Railers are a key part of the City's strong sports community and consistently offer an affordable entertainment option in downtown Worcester at one of our premier venues. This lease extension is further proof of Cliff Rucker's commitment to Worcester. We thank Rucker and the entire organization for their commitment and community first approach."

Fans will be welcomed next season with DCU Center improvements, including a $7 million seat upgrade. "Cliff has been a force for the DCU Center, downtown, and the entire City of Worcester", said Sandy Dunn, General Manager of the ASM Global managed DCU Center. "In addition to a first-class hockey operation, he has invested in Off The Rails, restaurant and music club, the Palladium and various properties in the immediate area and across the City. His contributions in making the City of Worcester a destination has been tremendous and we look forward to the Railers calling us home for the next 5 seasons."

The Worcester Railers currently hold a playoff spot, with 13 games remaining this season. Memberships, mini-plans, and group tickets are on sale now by calling the Railers front office at 508-365-1750 or by visiting railershc.com. Listen to all Railers games live on 98.9 Nash ICON with coverage beginning 15 minutes before puck drop with Tim Foley. Watch all games online for a small fee at FloHockey.tv.

Check out the Worcester Railers HC Statistics




Images from this story

A crowd at the DCU Center cheers on the Worcester Railers
A crowd at the DCU Center cheers on the Worcester Railers
   



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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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