The ownership of the Regina Pats is so fed up with its arena situation that it’s exploring options regarding a new home for the storied franchise.
The ownership of the Regina Pats is so fed up with its arena situation that it’s exploring options regarding a new home for the storied franchise.
To say this is shocking would be an understatement: the Pats are the oldest major-junior franchise , a storied WHL franchise with committed fans and an active ownership. But Brent Parker, who runs the team on behalf of longtime sports entrepreneur Russ Parker, says things are so bad with the Regina Exhibition Association that he’s looking at a new home.
Two cities have already emerged as a possible new home for the Pats: Victoria and Penticton. The Save-On-Foods Memorial Center, which seats 7,000, is already home to the Victoria Salmon Kings (ECHL), and the team’s been a solid draw. The Parker family, though, is establishing business operations in the coastal city with an independent Golden Baseball League franchise there next season. Penticton has an open gem of a facility: the $78-million, 5,100-seat South Okanagan Events Centre.
Basically, the Parkers want more control over IPSCO Place. The team is in the first year of a three-year lease but has issues with the way IPSCO Place is run and would like to explore ways to generate more revenue. With 5,000 fans a game, the Pats are clearly the biggest draw in the building and want to see more cash flowing from that status.
If the Parkers were to move, the WHL Board of Governors would need to sign off. And, to be honest, we’re guessing another WHL team would explore the possibility of moving into IPSCO Place: markets with nicer facilities that solidly draw 5,000 fans a game aren’t that common in junior hockey.
