WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Slow ticket sales concerning

Published on March 22, 2007 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Brandon, Manitoba - Officials of the Western Hockey League's Brandon Wheat Kings are concerned that they may begin their best of seven opening round playoff series with the Prince Albert Raiders shorthanded.

Fresh off winning their second Eastern Division pennant in three years and fourth in the past six seasons, the WHL club is still waiting for its "seventh man" to step up to the Keystone Centre box office ticket window in anticipation of Friday's playoff opener.

As of Wednesday night, only 2,200 tickets had been sold for Game 1, falling well short of the team's average attendance of over 4,100 during the 2006-07 regular season.

The Wheat Kings have been counting on a much larger fan response, given the benefit of playing two weekend home games before the start of the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair on Monday.

"There's always a misconception that the playoff opener will sell out," says general manager and head coach Kelly McCrimmon. "After having such large crowds during the final few weeks of the regular season, I think that people take for granted that now it's playoff time and tickets will be hard to come by. As we have seen in the past, that is not the case."

The Wheat Kings averaged close to 5,000 fans per game during their final four home games including two sell-outs. The club established a new franchise record for Single Season attendance this past year, attracting close to 149,000 fans to the Keystone Centre.

"The whole idea of home ice advantage is getting to play in front of your home crowd," McCrimmon went on to say. "In a close game, a loud and enthusiastic crowd can make a big difference...get the players pumped and ready to go. We felt this would be one of the benefits of having the games at the Keystone."

After hosting games one and two this weekend, the series will shift to Prince Albert for games three, four and five on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday nights. Should a sixth and seventh game be necessary, it would be played back at the Keystone Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 3rd and 4th.

Tickets to both weekend games are on sale now at the Keystone Centre box office, by calling 726-3555 or online at ticketmaster.ca.

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 22, 2007


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