The Huntsville Otters have a lot of positives to take away from the 2015-2016 season, and not all of them involve what happened on the ice. For the second straight year, the Otters ranked in the top three in the GBMOJCHL in attendance, seeing 260 fans come out per game and further cementing the notion of Junior C hockey being the right fit for Huntsville.
While the figure is down from last year’s record setting numbers (312 fans/game at the Canada Summit Centre), it is in line with a general recession seen across the league this season, and remains well above the league average. Overall attendance this year was down to 192 fans per game compared to 242 last season, which reverses a trend of steadily building figures since the 2012-13 season.
“You always want it to be higher, obviously some games we had great attendance, but with winter not really coming until late late in the year it affected a lot of our Sunday afternoons,” says Otters General Manager Craig Shaw. “When it’s nice out in October and November people aren’t really thinking about hockey yet, they want to be outside enjoying those last few days. That said, overall we had good support and a great group of fans who followed us throughout the year.”
In the four years since Huntsville joined the Georgian Bay Junior C league, attendance has gone from well below average to becoming one of the league’s biggest draws, as outlined below. The success is due in part to the Otter’s steadily improving on-ice product, as well as fielding a team with a strong core of local players. This year, 15 youngsters from Bracebridge and Huntsville suited up for at least one game with the Otters.
For the past two years, home attendance at Otters games has ranked well above the league average
“I think Jr. C is the right fit financially and for the town,” says Shaw. “It’s a self-sustaining organization that can have success on the ice and in the community, without being much of a burden. There are always going to be people who are negative and say that we have too sweet of a deal with the Town and ice time, but overall I think it’s been well received. It’s positive for our minor hockey programs because five years ago most of these kids were playing minor hockey in this area, now they are here playing junior. It gives our local kids and the kids in the communities around here something to strive for.”
Compared to other hockey leagues around Ontario, such as the unsanctioned GMHL – which imports talent from around the world but can charge upwards of $20,000 per player for fees, room and board – the cost to play in the GBMOJCHL is also much lower, providing access for kids to play who might otherwise be unable to follow their hockey dreams.
“It’s competitive hockey and we aren’t charging them an arm and a leg for it,” says Shaw. “They just enjoy it. There is a league fee, but other than that it’s probably the cheapest hockey many of these boys have played in their entire career. And Jr. C hockey has come a long way in the last ten years, from rough and tumble to a lot more skilled, higher-end hockey. It’s exciting to watch and we are looking forward to being a top-half team again next season.”
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