The Clippers saw a major spike in attendance at their home games in the 2022-23 season. The final home outing saw a total of 6,069 fans buy game and virtual tickets for fan appreciation day. (Owen Stanley Photography)

By Dan Marshall

Turning Heads

VIDEO: Clippers impressive season winning over Nanaimo hockey fans

Mar 15, 2023 | 11:50 AM

NANAIMO — The Clippers finished the home portion of their regular season with a fan appreciation day that saw 6,069 game and virtual tickets sold.

In 26 home dates in the Harbour City, the Clippers welcomed over 35,000 fans to Frank Crane Arena.

Director of business operations Robb Hunter was thrilled with the level of support for the first place Clippers throughout the entire season.

“We were excited the way the season wrapped up with breaking a BCHL record, sort of, with all the tickets sold. We had over 1,500 actual fans in the in the rink on a Sunday afternoon, by far blowing away any Sunday afternoon game we’ve had over the last number of years. It ended things in a great way.”

The home finale was a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity with the Clippers donating $6,069 to the cause.

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On the ice, Nanaimo earned a single point in a 6-5 overtime loss to Chilliwack on Sunday, March 12.

The point all but assures Nanaimo of first place in the Coastal Division with four road games left in the 2022-23 campaign.

A multitude of factors from on ice performance to the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions has seen ticket sales steadily increase.

The rise includes the Clippers having more playoff packages sold for this post season than they did last year with still two weeks to go before the Fred Page Cup playoffs.

The final regular season numbers show an upward trend of fan interest in Nanaimo’s Junior A hockey team.

“Our paid attendance was up 53 percent from what it was pre-COVID,” Hunter said. “Our beer garden sales were up 16 percent from pre-COVID as well. We still have a lot of work to do to make things financially viable in this community but we’re excited about what we’re seeing.”

This season has also seen a return to having the players out in the community.

Hunter said the Clippers were limited with what they were allowed to do through the height of the pandemic.

“This has been more of a regular year so we’ve been able to have our finger on the pulse of Nanaimo and ignite that community spirit by sending our players into the schools and to minor hockey practices. It’s been special to see our players reconnect with the community, which had been lost the last couple years.”

CLIP NOTES:

The Clippers have an upcoming three game road trip to Penticton, West Kelowna and Coquitlam. Their March 17 game against the Vees is the first head to head matchup since Nanaimo lost out to Penticton in the 2022 BCHL finals.

Nanaimo will be without forward Jeremie Payant for the next two games after an automatic suspension for a blow to the head major penalty against the Chilliwack Chiefs.

The Clippers can clinch first place in the Coastal Divison with the combination of a win in their next game against the Vees and a Surrey loss to Alberni Valley on March 17.

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