I
   
   
  |
|
|
| By: Larry Anstett, KW Record - March 17th, 1982 |
|
Similar to Arnie’s Army in golf, Kitchener has its Rangers Rooters. Over the years the loyal Rooters have flocked to the Rangers in such consistently strong numbers that Kitchener has got a reputation for having one of the best – if not the best – franchises in the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League. That reputation was bolstered this season as the Rangers, according to Auditorium director Gib White, set regular season records for average paid attendance (3,758) and gross receipts ($420,361) in 34 home games. While the paid attendance is the figure that goes into the record books, the actual attendance announced at the games was even higher – an average of 4,190, swelled by an unparalleled late-season rush that saw crowds of 5,000 – plus for the last six games and seven of the last eight. The 4,190 average includes complimentary tickets and unused Friday and Sunday tickets that were redeemed later on for Sunday games. Many minor-pro teams only wish they could draw as well. In the American Hockey League, for example, only four of the 11 teams are averaging more than 4,100 fans a game. Main leads the way with 5,007 followed by Adirondak with 4,928, Rochester with 4,875, and Nova Scotia with 4,715. New Brunswick Hawks, who are leading the AHL in almost every department – including most points, most goals for, fewest goals against, and highest point getter (Mike Kasczyki) – are averaging 3,891 in the Moncton arena. The Hawks are coached by Orval Tessier, who builds winning teams wherever he goes. Last year he took Kitchener to the Memorial Cup final. Before that he led the Cornwall Royals to the Cup championship and Quebec Remparts to the Cup finals. Last year the Rangers averaged 2,600 during the regular schedule (The crowds didn’t start swelling until late January) and 3,303 combining the schedule and playoffs. The Rangers drew more than 50,000 fans in 10 playoff games to boost the overall gate receipts to a record $465,000. Barring a playoff upset, that figure will be surpassed this year since receipts are already more than $420,000. Besides the bigger crowds, a 50-cent increase in the ticket prices has contributed to the record haul. White said that the Rangers had a paid average attendance of 4,071 in 1969-70, 3,887 in 1971-72, and 3,996 in 1973-74. But those figures included playoffs games and White, who didn’t have a breakdown for the regular schedules, said the figures wouldn’t have been as high as this year. White didn’t have records for the mid-1960’s when the Rangers twice finished first in the standings and twice went to the league finals. “As far as I can remember, the crowds back in those days weren’t as big as the ones we had this year,” White said. “This is the greatest finish (to the regular season) we’ve ever had, no doubt about it.” The Rangers and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, who finished 1-2 in the Emms Division standings, received first-round byes in the playoffs. The Rangers will meet the winner between Niagara Falls and Windsor. The six-point quarter-final series is tied 2-2, with the third game tonight in Niagara and the fourth game Thursday in Windsor. The Greyhounds will tackle Brantford unless London can make a stunning comeback. Brantford won 4-2 at home Tuesday and leads the six-point series 4-0. In the Leyden Division quarter-finals Tuesday, Peterborough tied Kingston 3-3 to lead the series 3-1, while Cornwall beat Toronto 6-3 to even the set 2-2.
|
