Friday night lights
IceDogs moving primary home night at the Meridian
The Niagara Ice Dogs are on the move. For the first time since relocating to Niagara in 2007, the team’s primary home night will be Friday.
The IceDogs will play 11 games at the Meridian Centre on Fridays in the 2016/17 Ontario Hockey League season, plus 10 games on both Thursdays and Saturdays.
“We had asked since we moved from The Jack to get as many Friday nights or weekend nights and try to get way from Thursday a little bit,” IceDogs director of player personnel Joey Burke said. “In the past, we haven’t had a ton of luck with it. But this year, the league was able to get us a bunch more, which is nice.
“It’s certainly a little more balanced than it has been.”
Burke said one of the main reasons the organization requested more Fridays was attendance.
“It’s easier for people on a Friday, knowing they have Saturday off, to come out,” he said. “Draw was part of it, and to keep our three-in-three (nights) down. A couple of different factors went into it.”
The extra home games Friday will make downtown St. Catharines a busy place, with the St. Catharines Falcons also playing their home games that night.
“When I first looked at it, I was kind of shocked. But when you look at the number of days they are not at the Meridian Centre, I’m assuming that there is something else booked in there,” Falcons president Brent Archer said. “What can you do about that? They are there to make business.”
Archer admitted 11 head-to-head games with the IceDogs makes it tougher to draw fans.
“I see fans that come to the Falcon games at the IceDogs games, so I’m sure they are going to have to make a decision if they want to come and watch the Falcons or IceDogs,” he said. “Unfortunately, we have to live with it. The Brock Centre (for the Performing Arts) is down there too and that, I’m sure, is taking away some fans as well.
“It’s getting to be a bigger city with more things to do. We have to bite the bullet and carry on.”
Friday is also Brock’s home night for the men’s Badgers hockey team.
“We’ve tried to avoid the IceDogs wherever possible,” Brock coach Murray Nystrom said. “Friday night is a congested night. It’s a busy night across the (Ontario Hockey League).”
The Niagara Falls Canucks also play the majority of their home games on Fridays, at the Gale Centre.
“It is out of our control, so we can’t do much about it,” Canucks owner Frank Pietrangelo said. “The IceDogs are a big draw and
Joey Burke
it’s a great product.
“This market is so saturated. There is so much going on, it makes it more difficult to try to compete.”
The IceDogs requested four Sunday games but were granted only two — March 5 versus Erie and March 12 against North Bay — both at 2 p.m.
“Being so close to the border and entrenched with NFL communities, home Sunday games can be a tough draw at times,” Burke said.
“We do try and push for five to seven Sundays a year. We haven’t hit that mark. It’s not ideal. Late in the season we have home Sunday games and it’s always pretty fun when the weather heats up and coming to the rink in the afternoon wearing shorts.”
Month by month, the IceDogs play one home game in September (opening night versus Kingston on the 30th), seven in October and November, four in each of December, January and February and seven in March.
It’s easier for people on a Friday, knowing they have Saturday off, to come out. Draw was part of it, and to keep our three-in-three (nights) down. A couple of different factors went into it.”