Courtesy Adirondack Thunder
After a successful first year in their new home, the Adirondack Thunder hockey team is eagerly counting the days until their 2016-117 season opener.
In a city, Glens Falls, that will be celebrating 35 years as a professional hockey town in 2017, the team and staff feel that they’ve done a great job of filling the skates of their predecessors.
After some initial resistance, on the part of fans and sponsors alike, to the introduction of an East Coast Hockey League team in the region, the community has embraced the Thunder. The parent team is the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League.
“Our biggest challenge was transitioning from the American league to the East Coast league,” said Thunder president, Brian Petrovek. This challenge proved to be more an issue of perception than actual performance, as the Thunder went on to make it to the playoffs in the inaugural season.
“We did initially lose some sponsors and we didn’t fill as many seats as we would have liked this past year,” said Petrovek. But, he feels the team has gained momentum with fans and local businesses.
The team and the organization have been committed to winning over the community, as evidenced both by the high level of play at the Glens Falls Civic Center and their strong involvement with the community.
“Our level of commitment and participation as a team was exactly where we needed it to be this past year,” said Petrovek. They plan to continue to get hold-outs and skeptics back to the arena with both reduced ticket prices and continued community involvement, along with continued of success on the ice.
The organization hopes that by taking money out of the equation both fans and sponsors will support the franchise and give it the chance it deserves to add to the long and rich history of hockey in the region, according to Petrovek.
EDC Warren County President, Ed Bartholomew, said the team “had a very successful first season, with a great winning streak.” He credited the coach, players and staff with “great community outreach.”
Bartholomew conceded that the team still needs more fans in the seats, as well as more corporate sponsorships. But, he is confident that the community has begun to embrace the team and support for them will continue to grow. He also believes that over the next few years, there will be two or three more ECHL teams in cities across New York state.
Bartholomew attributed some of the reduced attendance and sponsorship to the economy.
“While part of the reticence was because fans and sponsors didn’t have a full understanding of the nature of the ECHL, there were also some economic challenges,” he said.
He said the team and staff have done everything right and it is just a matter of time before the community will be completely behind them. “The fans have already become great ambassadors for the Thunder, and we expect that spirit to grow.”
“This is a hockey region,” said Tori Riley, president of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce. “And there is already a strong base of support for the team that will only continue to grow.”
“It’s not just Glens Falls that embraces hockey,” she said. “It’s the entire region, and the Thunder will continue to draw fans from outside our immediate area, giving our local businesses wonderful exposure and great opportunities for future growth.”
Some of the franchise’s numerous community interactions included a Military Appreciation Night, Pink in the Rink to support the C.R. Wood Cancer Center, an autism awareness night and an “All In for Otto” poker tournament and 50/50 raffles to raise funds for former player, Otto Miller, who was paralyzed after an injury on the ice in January.
The Thunder staff also received recognition from their ECHL peers, with play-by-play broadcaster, Cameron Close named Broadcaster of the Year and director of communications, Zach Dooley named as a finalist as Media Relations Person of the Year.
Thunder staff are working hard to continue building relationships and get more fans in the seats.
The team is also excited to be hosting the annual All Star Classic, the league’s two-day event occurring in January that features the all-star game and skills competitions.
“This is a signature event for the entire community,” said Petrovek, adding that the game will be internationally televised and include the best players in the league.
“This is wonderful exposure for the region and for our team,” he said.
The Thunder’s 2016-17 home schedule, which consists of 36 home games and begins on Saturday, Oct. 22 when they take on arch rival Manchester at the Glens Falls Civic Center at 7 p.m. The home opener will be a rematch of the 2016 Eastern Conference quarterfinals series between Adirondack and Manchester, a series the Thunder claimed in five games.
The 2016-17 regular season home schedule will conclude on Tuesday, April 4, as the Thunder take on the Monarchs once again.
The Thunder’s home schedule is highlighted by 13 Saturday home games and seven Friday home dates. The Thunder will also play three Sunday home games, 12 Tuesdays and one Monday, to be played on Martin Luther King Day. All Friday and Saturday home games begin at 7 p.m., with the exception of Saturday, Dec. 31, which will begin at 5:30 p.m. for the annual New Year’s Eve game. All Tuesday games begin at 6 p.m. The three Sunday games will start at 3 p.m., team officials said.
The four-month span from December through March will highlight the majority of the Thunder’s home schedule, with 27 of 36 home games falling in those four months. The Thunder will also play seven home games in December, five in January and seven home games in February. In addition, Adirondack will host three games in October, four in November and two in April.
“Our 2016-17 schedule allows us to continue to present Saturday night Thunder hockey as our headliner,” Petrovek said. “We are thrilled to continue to be able to offer the New Year’s Eve game to our community and are excited to showcase two new opponents, the Atlanta Gladiators and the Colorado Eagles, to our fans as well as continue several of the rivalries started during the 2015-16 regular season, beginning on opening night against Manchester. In our efforts to allow younger fans and families to experience Thunder hockey during the week, our games will now begin earlier at 6 p.m.”
The traditional New Year’s Eve game will feature indoor fireworks. The New Year’s Eve game has been a tradition in Glens Falls dating back to the Adirondack Red Wings, and was successfully presented as the second largest crowd for the Thunder this past season.
Season ticket plans are on sale for $13 dollars per seat. Full season ticket holders also have exclusive access to All Star Classic tickets. For more information, call 480-3355 extension 1.