Nanaimo Clippers owner Brad Kwong met with fans during an event Thursday, Aug. 4, answering questions about his direction for the team. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

new directions

Long term infrastructure, better community presence among key goals for new Nanaimo Clippers owner

Aug 7, 2022 | 5:19 AM

NANAIMO — The new Clippers owner says he’s here for the long haul and has short term plans to expand the team’s off-ice presence.

Brad Kwong held a meet and greet with fans and sponsors on Thursday, Aug. 4 in what was his first visit to the community since acquiring the team in June.

He told NanaimoNewsNOW he wants to be an active supporter of the existing staff in place, as well as those to come in the weeks and months ahead to complement a team which made the league final last season.

“We look at this as hockey and business. You can’t run those mutually exclusive and you can’t run them autonomously. We need the business to be equally as strong as the hockey or we don’t have anything.”

Kwong faced a number of questions from fans ranging from concerns over concession and beer garden operations, to replacing all-star netminder Cooper Black.

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Finding a new starting goaltender is the biggest on-ice priority, according to Kwong, with recruitment tasks being shared between staff in Nanaimo and the other franchise Kwong and his group own, the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints.

He said their goal is to further cement the Clippers’ status as a Nanaimo hockey institution on and off the ice through more community involvement, as well as better recruiting focused on the long term.

“If you’re always chasing the championship, it’s a fools game,” Kwong said. “I believe in more strongly in building an infrastructure and platform for the hockey staff to recruit players on an ongoing basis, for multiple years and age groups so you have a sustainable and successful team every year.”

The fan experience is a particular aspect of game nights occupying a significant part of Kwong’s attention.

His team in Iowa pulls crowds in excess of 2,200 a night in a non-hockey market roughly the size of Nanaimo. Kwong told fans the markets are obviously very different, but some elements can be adapted here.

“I want to introduce some stuff we do in Dubuque, Iowa that is fan friendly, family friendly and kid friendly from an entertainment perspective. It’s about making it much more of an entertaining night than just a hockey game.”

Kwong plans to visit Nanaimo at least once per month, however trips may be more frequent through the early portion of his tenure to onboard new staff and re-establish relationships with community partners.

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