Resurgent Giants announce plans for two games at Pacific Coliseum
The Vancouver Giants are returning to the Pacific Coliseum, albeit for a brief stay.
The Giants announced Tuesday they will play two games during the 2018-19 Western Hockey League regular season at the rink on Renfrew, their former home base before moving to the Langley Events Centre for the 2016-17 season.
Final details still need to be ironed out with the WHL, but the Giants are saying both games will be in December and one will be their annual Teddy Bear Toss tilt that collects toys and raises money for underprivileged youngsters.
Teddy Bear Toss games at the Coliseum were among the best attended contests of every Giants’ season.
The 2015-16 game, for instance, drew an announced crowd of 9,170. The LEC lists capacity at 5,276. The Coliseum’s listed capacity is 16,281.
“I just heard about it and I think it’s amazing,” said veteran Giants defenceman Matt Barberis, who is expected to be one of the team’s three over-ages in 2018-19.
“It’s kind of a best of both worlds,” said Barberis.
“Langley is awesome. The interest has been growing. The playoffs were great. But, by going back to the Coliseum for a couple of games, we can give fans from that area who maybe haven’t got a chance to see us play in Langley a chance to watch the team again.
“I love the Coliseum. I played my first junior game there. I watched my first Giants game there. The Canucks played there. There’s so much history there. You can almost feel a presence.”
Giants owner Ron Toigo was quoted in a news release on Tuesday as saying: “For 15 years the Pacific Coliseum was our home and it will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Vancouver Giants fans.
“The Vancouver Giants have a lot of positive momentum heading into the 2018-19 season and we are very happy to partner with the PNE to provide fans with the unique opportunity to once again watch world-class junior hockey at the Pacific Coliseum.”
Some longtime fans were angry when the Giants left Vancouver.
And there’s been some complaints already about the twogame set on social media.
The move was a cost-cutting measure. The Giants reportedly saved $300,000 a year off their lease by switching to the LEC from the Coliseum.
Attendance had dwindled at the Coliseum. The announced average attendance for the Giants during the 2015-16 regular season was 5,169. Business In Vancouver, through figures obtained from Freedom of Information, reported that actual attendance worked out to 3,332 per game. Vancouver won the Memorial Cup national championship on Coliseum ice to close out the 2006-07 campaign. That regular season, their announced average attendance at home was 8,760.
Struggles at the gate could be tied to struggles on the ice.
This season, Vancouver made the playoffs for the first time in four springs and, as part of a sevengame, opening-round loss to the Victoria Royals, the franchise won its first playoff games since losing in six in the first round to the Spokane Chiefs in 2011-12.
Vancouver’s announced average attendance during the regular season was 3,383. For three playoff games at the LEC, it was 4,617.
The 2018-19 season marks the 50th anniversary of the Coliseum, so bringing the Giants back works as a salute. PNE president and CEO Mike McDaniel stated in a news release that his group looks forward to celebrating the milestone with “the team who helped shape the building ’s history.”