Just 18 months after the West Kelowna Warriors reached the pinnacle of Canadian junior A hockey, the BCHL franchise faced the prospects of leaving the Central Okanagan for good.
In January 2017, Mark Cheyne said significant financial losses every season since he assumed ownership of the club in 2009, forced him to consider his options, including moving the Warriors to another city.
With an RBC Cup championship run in 2016, Cheyne hoped the club香蕉视频直播檚 financial fortunes would have finally taken a turn for the better.
But with community support for the team and attendance remaining stagnant, Cheyne said the writing was on the wall.
香蕉视频直播淲e were never even close to breaking even once and after awhile it香蕉视频直播檚 just no fun anymore,香蕉视频直播� Cheyne said. 香蕉视频直播淭he last few years, you look for that light at the end of the tunnel香蕉视频直播ut the light at the end never came.
香蕉视频直播淚t was difficult,香蕉视频直播� said Cheyne, 香蕉视频直播渁 long, hard decision. It hurts me and I know some people will be hurt this. But there香蕉视频直播檚 not much else we can put into it.香蕉视频直播�
With the threat of the Warriors leaving town, a group of loyal fans stepped up to rally behind the team.
In the end, a consortium of new investors came forward to help keep the club in West Kelowna for the 2017-18 season and, if all goes as planned, well beyond.
香蕉视频直播淚 appreciate these guys stepping up,香蕉视频直播� said Cheyne. 香蕉视频直播淭his was the easiest and best of the options I had and I think it香蕉视频直播檚 good for the community that it stays here,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 nice for me to still be a part of it and see how we can make things work down the road.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 happy we香蕉视频直播檙e going to continue to have hockey in West Kelowna.香蕉视频直播�
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