Open house marks new beginning for Raiders

In the week heading into the event, Raiders business manager Mike Scissons set an ambitious goal of selling 2,000 season’s tickets for the upcoming season. He admitted on Saturday that the number was “aggressive,” especially considering the Raiders averaged a total attendance of 2,113 per game last year—their lowest figure since the 2009-10 season.

But even knowing last year’s attendance numbers, Scissons set the bar high anyway believing in the team’s future and the fan’s willingness to support them.

“We’re making no qualms about it, it’s going to be hard work for us to get there,” Scissons said. “But we know when this building is full, that it’s a special place. It’s an energetic place, it’s a place you can’t find [anywhere else],” Scissons said. “We want to bring that in the stands here and fill them up. We want people to realize that this organization is on the verge of being a consistent, elite level team. We want people to get in now.”

If Raider fans decide to buy in, literally and figuratively, it will likely be with the plethora of high-drafted prospects they have in the wings.

Guhle, Saleski, Wiesblatt and 40th overall pick Jakob Brook are the tip of the iceberg. The Raiders also have high hopes for last year’s first rounder Rhett Rhinehart, who was in attendance in Saturday’s open house, as were Cole Fonstad and Carson Miller who just finished their first WHL full seasons.

Even last year’s Raider team started showing signs of a brighter tomorrow in the second half. They stumbled to Jan. 18 with a record of 8-34-3-2. But after making a league-high 16 trades and the new players started to gel, the Raiders finished off the year above .500 with a vastly improved 13-10-2 record.

“I think that what we saw on all fronts was the excitement that was building in this team after Christmas, in their play. The excitement from our fans is higher than I ever remember it, even as a visiting team member,” said Scissons, who formerly worked with the Saskatoon Blades. “It’s an incredibly exciting time. Regardless if we had that first overall pick or not, I think everybody is recognizing the future of this organization is incredibly bright. We are taking some immediate steps with this organization to reach an elite level.”

The Raiders will even explore revamping the in-game experience for fans as well, as extra incentives to come and watch a game.

“We’re going to rebuild everything, right from the ground up,” Scissons said. “From the graphics on the screen, the music that’s played in the arena, the people that are doing the announcing, we’re going to look at every aspect and make it the most fan enjoyable event that we can possibly do here.”

As much attention as the Guhle and the rest of the plethora of Raiders’ top prospects deserve, there may be a few more things for Raiders fans to get jacked about in the new future.

Jeff D’Andrea is paNOW’s sports reporter. He can be reached at jdandrea@jpbg.ca or tweet him @jeff_paNOW.

by Jeff D'Andrea

Open house marks new beginning for Raiders

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