Score! Hockey’s Back in Worcester
By: Christina AndrianopoulosIf you’re a hockey fan who lives in the Central Massachusetts area, your season just got a little better—the Sharks have effectively brought hockey back to Central Mass. Michael Lehr (President of Sharks Minor Holdings, LLC) and the Worcester Sharks have made a true commitment to the Worcester and Metro West community in many ways. To start, they have signed four free agents with potential for more to come; the Sharks are committed to being an intricate part of the fabric of Worcester. In fact, it’s not unusual to see the presence of their staff in the community on a regular basis…including Finz, their new, lovable mascot.
Lehr will be directing the day-to-day business operations of the Sharks minor league operations, while serving as the direct liaison to the Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment ownership group (SVSE). The SVSE is lead by Greg Jamison, the owner of the NHL San Jose Sharks, of which the Worcester Sharks (AHL) is an entity. Lehr has high hopes for the team, and has three main components to his mission. His primary mission is to help the Sharks develop their young talent to play in the NHL, while winning both the Stanley and Calder Cups. The second is to make the Worcester Sharks a successful member of the business community as a stand alone business. Finally, Lehr is passionate about integrating the Sharks into the fabric of the Worcester Community. The Sharks have a 10-year commitment to the City of Worcester, Metro West and the surrounding towns. But the million dollar question is, “How can the Sharks make it work in Worcester when the IceCats could not?” Lehr is adamant that the record reflects the facts when it comes to the departure of the Ice Cats and dispel any myths that may be circulating. The Ice Cats did not leave Worcester because of failing as an AHL hockey team, or attracting the Worcester crowd. The Ice Cats (AHL) owners, and the St. Louis Blues (NHL), made a decision to sell the franchise to Peoria, IL as a precursor to selling their NHL team. Subsequently, the St. Louis Blues were also sold.
A key component to a successful season is affordable ticket prices and packs that are structured to meet the needs of the area. The individual seating is offered as Gold for $16.50 and Teal for $13.50; season tickets are $560 and the season is from October to April. There are also a variety of affordable ticket packages appealing to individuals of all income levels as well as corporate offerings for businesses. The opening game at home is right around the corner on Saturday, October 14, 2006. For information on future games, visit the Sharks’ website: www.sharksahl.com. CLM