The president of the Okotoks Oilers would like to squash rumours the Junior A team is on life-support.
In fact, the Oilers are close to signing a 10-year agreement with the Town of Okotoks to share the revenue of the potential renaming of the Junior A team’s home rink, the Centennial Arena.
Oilers president Wayne Lauinger said the team is like any other non-profit organization — just trying to find ways to raise more money during a time of rising costs and struggling economy.
Lauinger said he believes the rumours may have started because the Oilers approached the Okotoks Recreation Board last fall about new fundraising ventures.
“Non-profit groups are always looking for different ways of raising money and not hitting up the same people all the time,” Lauinger said. “We came up with a few ideas that involved town council and things within the Centennial Arena.”
The Oilers have gone from a $405,000 budget when it started seven years ago to approximately $630,000 for the 2011-12 season.
“We have not raised our ticket prices, we have not raised our advertising prices but the cost of hotels, transportation and equipment has gone up,” Lauinger said. “So we have to come up with some new ideas.
“Of course, when you go to council, the first thing that comes up is that we are falling apart — that is not the case.”
He said an example of the costs increase the team’s hockey stick budget was $23,000 when the Oilers started. It is now more than doubled to almost $50,000.
The Oilers got an assist from town council when it approved a pair of proposals, which will benefit the hockey team, but not at the expense of taxpayers.
At its June 25 meeting town council agreed to share revenue from the potential renaming of the Centennial Arena with the Oilers. As well, the Town will now split some advertising on the scoreboard at the arena.
Okotoks community services manager Susan Laurin said the renaming of the arena is contingent on the Oilers finding a sponsor.
“It is up to them to find the sponsor,” Laurin said. “The Oilers would get 75 per cent and the Town 25 per cent for the first year. Then it (the Oilers’ share) would go down by five per cent every year until it Lauinger said it is close to having a sponsor at a cost of $32,500 a year for 10 years.
“We have been asking for that since Day 1 of the team,” Lauinger said. “This is a win-win situation — the Town wasn’t getting anything for this at all in the past. This sponsor has indicated he wants to go 10 years and he wants first right of refusal for continuing.”
Although the Oilers find the sponsor, the contract is signed with the Town of Okotoks.
The renaming of the arena could be as soon as the 2012-13 hockey season.
The Oilers will also split any advertising revenue for the left-hand panel on the score clocks. In the past, the Town has received 100 per cent of the $10,000 a year generated from the advertising from Compton Petroleum. The funds were used for operating costs and other expenses at the arena.
Lauinger said he is looking for a new sponsor, however, he would be surprised if the team was able to get $10,000 a year for the advertising.
In the past the Oilers have assisted financially to the building of dressing rooms and other projects at the Centennial Arena. The team will continue to provide free tickets for Okotoks Minor Hockey Association players.
He said what would help the Oilers’ coffers would be more attendance.
“Obviously, we want more butts in the seats,” Lauinger said.
Although the deal between the Town and the Oilers could put in as much as $29,750 in the Junior A team’s bank account, Lauinger said the team will continue to raise funds.
“The price of tickets and advertising will go up this year,” Lauinger said. “We are now consistent with the other teams in the league.”
Ticket prices are now $15 for adults, $12 for students (13-17 years old) and the cost for children is the same at $5.
The Oilers will continue to hold golf tournaments, raffles and banquets to raise funds.
The Oilers will finish the exhibition season with a flourish with a mini-preseason tournament which will include the defending league champion Brooks Bandits, Northern Division champion Fort McMurray Oil Barons and the Camrose Kodiaks from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 at the Centennial Arena.
The Oilers open the regular season on Sept. 14 against the Spruce Grove Saints at the Okotoks Centennial Arena.
