Attendance is high and there's no real shortage of support for the newest team in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, but the 100 Mile House Wranglers organization has a number of new things on the go aimed at enhancing fan experience at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre.
New cowbells, stadium horns and plastic thunder sticks are, or will soon be, on sale.
“We just want to make as much noise in the building as we possibly can,” says Don Jones, Wranglers director of marketing.
The organization also started selling new home (white) and away (blue) team jerseys. Jones says the jerseys are very similar to the actual jerseys the players wear.
“They're a little bit thinner, but they're better than than mesh ones we did have on sale. They're good quality jerseys (and sell for $70 each).”
Fans have already seen the Tim Hortons air cannon in action that fires T-shirts into the stands. And there's also a new promotion with Canadian 2 For 1 Pizza that sees one hot and large pizza delivered to a fan at each home game. Jones says when fans hear the doorbell near the beginning of the third period, they'll know the pizza has arrived.
Adding, the recipient “gets friends in a hurry.”
Wranglers gear is also is being everywhere around town, as some local businesses have started sporting jerseys on game days.
“The more we get the jerseys out in the community, the better it is for us,” Jones says. “The people are getting behind us, and businesses too.”
The 100 Mile House Free Press is also getting involved, having formed a new promotional partnership with the team that will see player autograph sessions after home games.
(More information can be found on Page A19 of this edition of this paper.)