Westside Warriors Desperation

[Loki2u]

I feel for the players, the fans and the community as a whole. No one will benefit from the team leaving West Kelowna if and when it comes to that. Unfortunately Dobranski alienated many in this venture with his small man syndrome getting in the way of common sense and simple respect, which as foreign a concept as it is to him, is a two-way street - and now he's reaping the fruits of his labour. Nothing serves arrogant know-it-alls like Dobranski better than a heaping helping of humble pie - and frankly I hope he chokes on his slice.

Sorry Walter, I appreciate and respect your posts for the most part around here, but you're waaaay off base on the issue here. It's clear you have a personal beef with Dobranski (for who knows what reason) but you are the one coming across as the 'small man' right now.

I'm a pretty avid fan of the BCJHL and attend approximately a dozen plus Vernon Vipers game every year. Vernon struggles to get people in the seats as well most of the time and I feel they really lack in marketing the team and making the games exciting for the fans.
Vipers management in the past has been notorious for holding back information on players and trades which keeps the fans in the dark. They also need an update in their game atmosphere. The same tired music from the 80's played at each game is redundant and they could benefit from making the atmosphere more fun for the fans. I said management in the past, as they have a new owner this year (the team is terrible this year btw) but I believe this year will be a year of evaluation by owners and management to determine which direction to take with the team.
Vernon has one of the winning-est teams in BCJHL history, and rarely sees the turnout from the fans that it out to for that reason alone. Duncan Wray's passing was unfortunate, but I hope the new owners take this in stride to make some desperately needed changes.
Penticton does have great fans, and a loyal following. One of their marketing strategies is that kids are free always! With the kids come paying parents which puts butts in the seats.
I've been to a few Warriors games over the years, and it isn't fun being in an empty arena-especiallly with a good product on the ice.
There are numerous factors to consider and I wish the team well.

[WalterWhite]

Fair enough Loki, and as I’ve stated a number of times previously - I wish the best for the fans of the Warriors and the West K community. However, it wasn’t my actions that made the team not attend practice as a display of contempt for Dobranski’s actions. It’s not my erratic behavior that required the league to step in and take control of team operations. It’s not because of my actions many corporate sponsors have not resigned in support of the franchise this season. It’s not my hostile attitude towards, media, the league, non-attending fans, the Kelowna Rockets/Chiefs that has cast a cloud over the organization which has resulted in lower than ever game attendance - that honor all belongs to Dobranski.

[dorito]

Fair enough Loki, and as I’ve stated a number of times previously - I wish the best for the fans of the Warriors and the West K community. However, it wasn’t my actions that made the team not attend practice as a display of contempt for Dobranski’s actions. It’s not my erratic behavior that required the league to step in and take control of team operations. It’s not because of my actions many corporate sponsors have not resigned in support of the franchise this season. It’s not my hostile attitude towards, media, the league, non-attending fans, the Kelowna Rockets/Chiefs that has cast a cloud over the organization which has resulted in lower than ever game attendance - that honor all belongs to Dobranski.

Nearly everything in this post is an untrue assumption. You are running your mouth now about matters which you have zero knowledge

[WalterWhite]

Fair enough Loki, and as I’ve stated a number of times previously - I wish the best for the fans of the Warriors and the West K community. However, it wasn’t my actions that made the team not attend practice as a display of contempt for Dobranski’s actions. It’s not my erratic behavior that required the league to step in and take control of team operations. It’s not because of my actions many corporate sponsors have not resigned in support of the franchise this season. It’s not my hostile attitude towards, media, the league, non-attending fans, the Kelowna Rockets/Chiefs that has cast a cloud over the organization which has resulted in lower than ever game attendance - that honor all belongs to Dobranski.

Nearly everything in this post is an untrue assumption. You are running your mouth now about matters which you have zero knowledge

Lol - okay. Good luck Warriors, fans and West Kelowna - I do hope fans come out to support the players.

[Loki2u]

Fair enough Loki, and as I’ve stated a number of times previously - I wish the best for the fans of the Warriors and the West K community. However, it wasn’t my actions that made the team not attend practice as a display of contempt for Dobranski’s actions. It’s not my erratic behavior that required the league to step in and take control of team operations. It’s not because of my actions many corporate sponsors have not resigned in support of the franchise this season. It’s not my hostile attitude towards, media, the league, non-attending fans, the Kelowna Rockets/Chiefs that has cast a cloud over the organization which has resulted in lower than ever game attendance - that honor all belongs to Dobranski.

And to be fair back at ya.....I agree with your assessment on (some of) Dobranski's behaviours and actions.....but I don't think that would be a sole reason for the steadily declining attendance over the years. Although it sure isn't helping the situation I'm sure.

[WalterWhite]

Fair enough Loki, and as I’ve stated a number of times previously - I wish the best for the fans of the Warriors and the West K community. However, it wasn’t my actions that made the team not attend practice as a display of contempt for Dobranski’s actions. It’s not my erratic behavior that required the league to step in and take control of team operations. It’s not because of my actions many corporate sponsors have not resigned in support of the franchise this season. It’s not my hostile attitude towards, media, the league, non-attending fans, the Kelowna Rockets/Chiefs that has cast a cloud over the organization which has resulted in lower than ever game attendance - that honor all belongs to Dobranski.

And to be fair back at ya.....I agree with your assessment on (some of) Dobranski's behaviours and actions.....but I don't think that would be a sole reason for the steadily declining attendance over the years. Although it sure isn't helping the situation I'm sure.

Exactly. The league as a whole has struggled for many years and this one’s no different. Unfortunate - the calibre of hockey is great.

[mexi cali]

The caliber of the hockey is great and if you don't go see it, you won't know that.

I can't admit to being a huge supporter although I have been to a number of games. For me, part of my reluctance is the arena itself. It feels second or third rate. It could have been designed more like the SOEC which feels like a scaled down version of Prospera which in itself is a scaled down version of a number of big league arenas.

WK missed the boat when they signed off on the build for RLP. I have been to other events there and I can't shake the small town thinking that went in to the finished product.

SOEC brings in all kinds of other entertainment which keeps it on the map and in peoples minds. RLP does pretty much nothing. Went to Trooper and apart from the horrible sound (which they owned up to, first night jitters), it was a blast.

There could be all kinds of events hosted in the building but instead, it seems like it sits empty apart from hockey season.

It is however, what it is. It's really too bad because the players are high caliber and the game is very fast. The cost is minimal and the attendant bevys and noshes aren't overly pricey. They give tickets away and the tickets go unused.

1500 attendees makes this a very viable enterprise and most games, they can't get a thousand.

I think it is inevitable that the team will in fact move on at some point unless someone comes up with a better mousetrap when it comes to marketing.

I would love to see regular events scheduled for the facility making it more of a community focal point.

Anyone know anyone who might make a difference?

[sublime]

It feels second or third rate. It could have been designed more like the SOEC which feels like a scaled down version of Prospera which in itself is a scaled down version of a number of big league arenas.

SOEC is a scaled down version of Prospera? Prospera feels like a 50 year old barn in comparison to SOEC... or at least to me it does. Id rather drive to an event at SOEC than anything at Prospera.

Imagine (minus the tax payer headaches) a SOEC style arena in West Kelowna. It could bring in the events that skip over Prospera because of their stupid ticketing system. It probably isn't much of a pipe dream with WK's population increasing incredibly.

[JayByrd]

The funding simply wasn't there to make Royal LePage Place bigger than it is. As the primary tenant, Warriors ownership at the time wanted something bigger but knew they'd have to settle for what they got. As a venue for concerts etc, a larger arena would be in direct competition with SOEC *and* Prospera, and no matter how nice a facility it was, at best it would be a case of splitting the vote. You'll notice there are rarely non-hockey events at Kal Tire Place in Vernon.

Royal LePage also has a dirt (!) parking lot, that cannot accommodate the capacity of that arena. Sure it's free, but I know of people who don't bother to go to games in the dead of winter because it's just not accessible enough. The same is true of the Kelowna Rockets, but they aren't playing to a 40% full arena.

I've made the same remarks about Mr. Dobranski before, and I'll make them again. He has a history and reputation in West Kelowna that dates to before he purchased the Warriors. He has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, and unfortunately has continued to do so since he purchased the team. There are people who won't support the Warriors because they can't stomach their money going into his pockets. Maybe that's petty, maybe they're not seeing the big picture, but they're still staying away.

And for the love of Mike, it is not normal for the owner to be the public face of a junior hockey team. How often do you hear Bruce Hamilton go on at length about anything to the media? Can you imagine him starting a "Rockets Boss" page on Facebook, the way Mr. Dobranski has? Not in one million years. The best thing Kim Dobranski can do is keep quiet, run his business behind closed doors (like most people do) and let the product speak for itself. He employs marketing people, they should be the ones trying to sell West Kelowna on this team.

[voice of reason]

the reason royal lepage place is like its is because they ran out of money when they built it and had to wrap it up quick. that is what we are left with. dirt parking lot and no seats on either end of the arena. i would still like to know what happened with the hockeyville money
https://www.castanet.net/news/West-Kelowna/34800/arena-costs-skyrocket

[Nationalpro]

Should have amalgamated with Kelowna, renovated Prospera Place and brought the community an AHL team.

[twofingers]

Before anyone considers an AHL team in Kelowna, I would invite them to talk to the taxpayers of Abbotsford. I’m pretty sure that financial fiasco is well remembered. Seems like the Rockets can only fill 2/3 of a 6,200 seat facility. You would need 8,000 + fans at $20 - $25 per ticket to support an AHL team.

[Tony]

I feel for the players, the fans and the community as a whole. No one will benefit from the team leaving West Kelowna if and when it comes to that. Unfortunately Dobranski alienated many in this venture with his small man syndrome getting in the way of common sense and simple respect, which as foreign a concept as it is to him, is a two-way street - and now he's reaping the fruits of his labour. Nothing serves arrogant know-it-alls like Dobranski better than a heaping helping of humble pie - and frankly I hope he chokes on his slice.

Sorry Walter, I appreciate and respect your posts for the most part around here, but you're waaaay off base on the issue here. It's clear you have a personal beef with Dobranski (for who knows what reason) but you are the one coming across as the 'small man' right now.

I'm a pretty avid fan of the BCJHL and attend approximately a dozen plus Vernon Vipers game every year. Vernon struggles to get people in the seats as well most of the time and I feel they really lack in marketing the team and making the games exciting for the fans.
Vipers management in the past has been notorious for holding back information on players and trades which keeps the fans in the dark. They also need an update in their game atmosphere. The same tired music from the 80's played at each game is redundant and they could benefit from making the atmosphere more fun for the fans. I said management in the past, as they have a new owner this year (the team is terrible this year btw) but I believe this year will be a year of evaluation by owners and management to determine which direction to take with the team.
Vernon has one of the winning-est teams in BCJHL history, and rarely sees the turnout from the fans that it out to for that reason alone. Duncan Wray's passing was unfortunate, but I hope the new owners take this in stride to make some desperately needed changes.
Penticton does have great fans, and a loyal following. One of their marketing strategies is that kids are free always! With the kids come paying parents which puts butts in the seats.
I've been to a few Warriors games over the years, and it isn't fun being in an empty arena-especiallly with a good product on the ice.
There are numerous factors to consider and I wish the team well.

Loki, just to be clear, the kids tickets are purchased by Peter's Bros Contracting in Penticton, a massive community supporter in many ways. The kid's tickets can only be gotten if they accompanied by at least one adult. Peter's Bros stepped up and offered this by the way, I don't think (and I could be wrong) the Vee's asked them to do it.

I do find it odd that WK suffers from attendance. There always seems to be a pretty good contingent when they play in Penticton who come down and cheer them on. I see signs etc around town when I drive through WK on game day, and they are not a bad team... I am a South Okanagan resident, so I do support the Vees, but they are always good games that I've caught.

[JayByrd]

Before anyone considers an AHL team in Kelowna, I would invite them to talk to the taxpayers of Abbotsford. I’m pretty sure that financial fiasco is well remembered. Seems like the Rockets can only fill 2/3 of a 6,200 seat facility. You would need 8,000 + fans at $20 - $25 per ticket to support an AHL team.

Amen. The Rockets aren't going anywhere, and I can't see the city supporting both a WHL and an AHL team. And you're spot-on with the Abbotsford Heat scenario...looking at a map, an AHL club in Kelowna would have it's closest opponents in California and Winnipeg. Even if the city would theoretically support professional hockey, why would anyone put an AHL team here?

[Blaker]

Breaking even when running a junior sports organization is difficult enough, let alone turning a profit.

The Warriors have a lot of competition in this area for the fans sports $ but assuming the club can survive/thrive in West Kelowna it needs everything within its control working in its favour...and thats starts at the top

I don't know Mr. Dobranski but through my personal business and sports connections which are fairly extensive I hear enough negative about him (fair or not, I have no idea) that I really don't know how the club can exist with his ownership steering the ship.

IMO best to have the club sold and regroup.