Caledonia deserves better attendance

[Port hockey1]

Caledonia has the best team in Ontario for the second straight year now. But where are the fans? The arena is almost empty on most Saturday nights. I tune into most of their home games on youtube and am left stunned by the lack of support. There seems to be a decent sized group of fans sitting by where the game is broadcast from, but after that the arena is empty.

Come on people, if you live within 10 minutes of the arena and like good solid hockey, come out and support the team. You are very lucky to have that kind of hockey so close to home. Best coach in the league too.

[flyers2011]

for a top team or any team for that matter there attendance is awful, your right a team like that should be getting huge crowds, 7 of the 9 teams in the Great Lakes Junior c average more then them.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

You are right, great team, great coach and terrible attendance. This is proof that "if you build it they will come" doesn't always work. They are not really involved with the community. Just check out their website, it's all about the Corvairs. Nothing about minor hockey involvement, nothing about the fans, no list of local advertisers who financially support their efforts no list or recognition for their volunteers.

I believe if they were more involved in the community, the community would be more supportive. It works in other similar size communities.

[Port hockey1]

for a top team or any team for that matter there attendance is awful, your right a team like that should be getting huge crowds, 7 of the 9 teams in the Great Lakes Junior c average more then them.

I've noticed teams out West seem to draw a lot more fans than the teams in the Shoe area. I think it's partly because the Western teams are simply more exciting. You see a lot more 16 and 17 year old players, and they can play too. LaSalle has had a few great young players the last couple of years.

[flyers2011]

wasn't this the problem the last few seasons in Brantford, attendance was awful and they had a good team, perhaps its the people doing the promotional stuff, I know Lasalle has a guy that does stuff like that, goes out and gets lots of sponsers and look at there attendance, the Vipers and Flyers are always going to the schools and doing stuff in the community, maybe they should do stuff like that if they aren't already, might help

[Port hockey1]

wasn't this the problem the last few seasons in Brantford, attendance was awful and they had a good team, perhaps its the people doing the promotional stuff, I know Lasalle has a guy that does stuff like that, goes out and gets lots of sponsers and look at there attendance, the Vipers and Flyers are always going to the schools and doing stuff in the community, maybe they should do stuff like that if they aren't already, might help

Yeah the attendance was brutal before they moved too. I agree, getting involved with the community is always great. It gets you a lot of publicity too.

[Port hockey1]

You are right, great team, great coach and terrible attendance. This is proof that "if you build it they will come" doesn't always work. They are not really involved with the community. Just check out their website, it's all about the Corvairs. Nothing about minor hockey involvement, nothing about the fans, no list of local advertisers who financially support their efforts no list or recognition for their volunteers.

I believe if they were more involved in the community, the community would be more supportive. It works in other similar size communities.

Kind of sad, you'd think a great team like that would be more involved with the community.

[zantimisfit]

What do you expect from the Bushleaguers? Why should any hockey fans from Caledonia support a team which does not have one player from Caledonia on the team!!!!! This team's ownership is all about money (which they have tons of) and win at all costs no matter what they have to do to achieve their goals. They were sleazy in Brantford and now they've continued the tradition in Caledonia.

[Vairs61]

It is a shame the crowds are small, I think there are a number of reasons for this. I don't believe the team is concerned because there is no promotion at all to try and get people out. They dominate games so much, it's hardly an entertaining night out. Most nights visiting team in lucky to get 15 shots on goal. Saturaday is the worse night of the week for a home game with so much else going on. Unfortunately ppl is this area have not supported junior hockey all that well, just look at Ancaster, Hamilton, Burlington and Brantford.
I wish they had stayed in the mid-west, the teams there more competitive, it was better hockey and fun to watch. The GHL is much weaker outside the top few teams.
I know the crowds will be there in the playoffs like last year, it was great to see Caledonia full for the finals.

[Port hockey1]

What do you expect from the Bushleaguers? Why should any hockey fans from Caledonia support a team which does not have one player from Caledonia on the team!!!!! This team's ownership is all about money (which they have tons of) and win at all costs no matter what they have to do to achieve their goals. They were sleazy in Brantford and now they've continued the tradition in Caledonia.

Zant, the Falcons spend too. Loaded with ex CHL players. Yes a couple of them are from St.Catharines but that's just because the Falcons play out of by far the biggest city in the league.

Caledonia isn't even a quarter of the size. So yeah, probably hard to find hometown talent. It's a shame that they don't get more involved though. Surely it would bring people out.

Time to drop the "Bushleagers". They disposed of the Falcons last season and will again this season. It seems like some just have sour grapes. I know Welland's chances of beating them is slim, but that doesn't mean I have to hate Caledonia. They play with heart. They don't get a lot of calls, so they deal with things themselves.

That is one thing they need to change by the playoffs. Penalties will kill anyone in the playoffs.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

Port,

I take in quite a few games in both the Mid West and the Shoe. I hate no team. Yes I have my favorites but I will never display what seems to be a grudge against anybody as you do against St.Catharines. My views about St.Catharines are all positive as they have displayed nothing but class for the last 15 years that I've followed Jr.B hockey. You mentioned that Caledonia disposed of the Falcons last year, which they did in 7 games, but did not mention that St.Catharines disposed of the Corvairs in 2012 to win Sutherland Cup

I am a Mid West fan but always enjoy series come play-off time that include either the Falcons or the Niagara Falls Canucks. Maybe if your Welland Canadians made the odd trip to a Suthy you wouldn't be so envious.

[Port hockey1]

Port,

I take in quite a few games in both the Mid West and the Shoe. I hate no team. Yes I have my favorites but I will never display what seems to be a grudge against anybody as you do against St.Catharines. My views about St.Catharines are all positive as they have displayed nothing but class for the last 15 years that I've followed Jr.B hockey. You mentioned that Caledonia disposed of the Falcons last year, which they did in 7 games, but did not mention that St.Catharines disposed of the Corvairs in 2012 to win Sutherland Cup

I am a Mid West fan but always enjoy series come play-off time that include either the Falcons or the Niagara Falls Canucks. Maybe if your Welland Canadians made the odd trip to a Suthy you wouldn't be so envious.

Listen, there's a few fans that used to post on the old Shoe forum that made it very easy to hate the Falcons. It's nothing personal towards their players at all. It's the arrogance of some fans that makes it very easy for many people to hate the organization. Similar situation involving a few others feelings towards Leamington.

However I am not shy about telling the truth about players performance, or lack of. A few years ago I praised former Falcon Spencer DeWolfe. I said he was a total team player and any team would love to have him. I also said he was the most underrated player in the league at the time and deserved more attention. Liked Woodhouse and several others as well.

But the currant team is average at best. They're capable of being better with team work and 100% effort. But players like Felker & Halagian look disinterested most of the time. Kelly's a turnover machine, and that's just touching the tip of the iceberg. Manns has played great, Jackson can when he's motivated. But I just say it how I see it. Again nothing personal towards the players.

[RocketGirl]

It's the arrogance of some fans that makes it very easy for many people to hate the organization.

That's why a lot of us dislike the Chatham Maroons. There's a chunk of their fans that are ignorant and arrogant and there's people in their organization that are like that as well.

[Port hockey1]

It's the arrogance of some fans that makes it very easy for many people to hate the organization.

That's why a lot of us dislike the Chatham Maroons. There's a chunk of their fans that are ignorant and arrogant and there's people in their organization that are like that as well.

I'm aware of that. That can be said for a lot of teams to an extent though. But yeah, Chatham seems to be the most hated in the West.

I remember several years ago when Strathroy played a game in Port Colborne. I overheard you tell someone outside that London was the most hated team in the West. At the time, Niagara Falls held that title in our league. Funny how these things change over the years.(Now it's St.Catharines & Chatham)

[RocketGirl]

I'm sure you heard my Dad say the same thing as well. But with us, it flip flops between London and Chatham.

[goalie34]

Jealousy, the driving force in anti-fandom.