Discussions

I’m not into sports. I don’t watch sports. I don’t agree with how much professional athletes make. I think the money could be spent on better, more important things. If I have extra money to do something, going to a sporting event doesn’t even cross my mind.  
 
Why would I be upset if he sells the team and goes elsewhere? Should I be upset?

think you underestimate how much revenue and value the team brings into the city.  
 
The team won't be sold. It's junior hockey, it has good years along with bad years.

First of all relax. You can only control yourself so don’t worry about what others are doing in their spare time.  
 
Have you considered maybe people have other commitments with family or work? Or just the fact that many people are struggling right now and can’t afford $102 for a couple hours of entertainment on a school night?  
 
The wheat kings are not going anywhere. There is no chance that Jacobson sells the team. He likes being the big fish in a small pond. If you’ve been a season ticket holder for 30 years, you’d know this is a normal occurrence for any team to go through ebbs and flows in attendance.  
 
Many people support the wheat kings despite what you say. And they will continue to do so. It is a huge benefit to our city to have them.

If the wheat kings draw in that many people from Brandon and surrounding area , adding that much revenue . Sounds to me that they’d invest some money into 18th street, to keep that attraction going. And make people want to attend a game . Instead of thinking twice, about it potentially costing them huge money with the risk of veichle damage , just my thoughts

The wheat kings are owned privately and play out of a business that is also privately owned.  
 
The province of MB is responsible for maintaining highways, like 18th st.  
 
That is not the wheat kings or keystone centre’s responsibility at all. It is a huge cost. No way could the keystone centre afford it.

Maybe people don’t want to loose their vehicle in the parking lot or the way there with pot holes. maybe they cant sit in the seats? Those seats are some of the worst to sit in. They are small, hard and tightly packed. Hard to get out of once your there so your not going to get up and get a drink or food

I agree 100%

IMO a winning team will be supported. I don’t believe the WK have had a good team with new ownership other than in the Covid bubble season in Regina. Basically a .500 hockey team at best the entire time and will be out of the playoffs 4 straight this year . That won’t get supported anywhere.

That would be like expecting the Winnipeg Jets to pay for improvements to Richardson International airport to help with attendance at their games.

The issue you brought up with the seats won't be an issue for much longer. And the pothole issue isn't just a Brandon issue, the potholes at the Brandt Center in Regina are the WORST!

Respectfully, if that team were to move somewhere else, the knock on effect would have a colossal effect on the region's economy.  
 
Think about it. They are the primary tenant in the Keystone Centre. With no team, there is no advertising interest in the building, that means no massive naming rights deal, that means an even more chronically underfunded events center.  
 
If that building loses any more funding, it's a wrap. Without a WHL team, there's less incentive for the Province and City to provide funding. So what does that mean?  
 
No more Keystone Centre. That means no more premium concerts, no more Ag Days, no more Winter Fair, no more Winterfest, no more Brandon Curling Club, no more ice for youth hockey, the list goes on and on.  
 
Look around at Brandon's hospitality industry...you think we need that many hotels year round? You think we need them at all if those major events aren't bringing business to Brandon?  
 
No Wheat Kings in Brandon has a knock on effect that takes so much money out of the regional economy, I struggle to imagine how the City would even begin to be forced to transform.  
 
Not gonna be a lot of pothole replacement money when the Provincial and Municipal government are forced to bail out Brandon's decimated hospitality industry.

Could not care less about sports and overpaid players. But they won’t disband the league so don’t worry. There’ll always be hockey in this town

It's too loud. We can't handle the loud music and noise. So we don't go anymore.

One of the Wheat Kings players has lived with us for 3 seasons and  
the game yesterday was the first time he ever mentioned poor attendance. He said the fans don’t realize how much we absorb the excitement and the sound of the fans in the arena and the effect that it has on our performance game day. He said it was extremely disappointing to skate out on the ice and see the dismal attendance.

A pair of cheap foam earplugs or some muffs help a lot, my wife wears them herself when it gets a little too loud in there.  
 
Personally, I haven't been to as many games as in years past just due to the cost. $30 a ticket is steep in my mind, considering the Manitoba Moose charge slightly more to see them and that's Pro hockey.  
 
I have spoken to a number of folks who just won't go due to who owns the team, going to games lines his pockets. It's unfortunate but I can't say I blame them.

Tell me you don’t know anything.. lmao. Overpaid junior hockey players.. who are teenagers and don’t get paid for playing..

A lot has to do with the economy right now. People don’t have extra money to spend, small businesses are hurting, prices of everything is rising. There isn’t the extra money for fun events.  
 
We would love to go but mtg payments, bills, groceries and gas come first.

Why is there not an MJHL team in Brandon? I understand there is no way Jacobsen would let them play in his rink. But the reduced cost to see a game and the local competition between Manitoba communities would be a draw IMO.

The issue isn’t as easy as pointing the finger at one or two things.  
New owner- many people in this town will never give a dollar to the wheat kings now that it’s owned by Jacobsen.  
Right or wrong- it’s their money- they can do what they want  
-tickets are expensive, Kelly never dealt with the rising costs of everything and he kept prices low. I say give the kids a few ticket if they have an adult with them. Get bums in the seats.  
- team isn’t fantastic- winners bring fans in  
- many older fans say it is too loud- right or wrong, it keeps them away  
-lack of promotions- rain check - 2-4-1, etc.  
-not much community involvement- why aren’t the WK at minor hockey practices, or at schools, or volunteering at.places, being visible in the community. Having a food drive or something like that. Delivering season tickets and introducing themselves to season ticket holders. Playing a school team in basketball, or volleyball, and engaging with fans.  
That stuff goes a long way in Brandon.  
Anyway, next season is a fresh start and a chance to do things better for the black and gold.

The Wheat Kings are very active in community involvement in all of southwest Manitoba. They attend minor hockey practices weekly, they make guest appearances at numerous events in the area, they interact with various organizations such as Special Olympics and assist with various fundraising events so their community involvement has never been stronger. The current owner has silently made numerous improvements to better the hockey team and the game time environment. Some of them have been good and some haven’t but he’s trying to make a positive impact. The previous owner had concession deals that helped keep the ticket prices down, the new owner was not given those concessions so ticket prices had to go up. The product on the ice is what we’re paying to see and being junior hockey, it’s going to be very inconsistent from year to year. Hopefully the next 2 years will be better and the seats will fill.

Encourage families to be able to afford to bring the kids to the games. Encourages a younger, new generation pumped, having fun, engaging the community and keeps children inspired. Many middle class families just can't afford it.