Worcester = Hockeytown?
As the second largest city in New England, the Worcester region clearly has the demographics and population to be a strong town for minor league sports.
So when the Worcester Sharks hockey team left for California last year, it was not surprising to see an entrepreneur jump in and seek to replace that void with another team. The recent announcement that the ECHL will open a franchise in Worcester starting in the fall of 2017 is welcome news for hockey fans and the downtown businesses who stand to benefit from pre- and post-game business. In addition, it did not take long for the Worcester Bravehearts, a locally owned and managed operation, to move into the minor league baseball niche with its summer collegiate team when the Worcester Tornadoes collapsed.
The keys to the success of any minor-league franchise are many, but the biggest factor is support from the marketplace. After the “new” factor wears off, can the organization build the kind of strong community ties and family entertainment value to sustain and grow the operation? What does support mean in terms of corporate dollars? Hockey team owner Cliff Rucker needs to show $350,000 in corporate sponsorships as part of his ECHL requirements, and certainly he'd like to deliver an even higher number.
Corporations are not only important to sponsorship dollars, but their involvement with the team leads to more of their employees attending games – whether it is through corporate outings or customer promotions – and the backing of city government when it comes to items like facility upgrades and favorable parking dealss.
While talk of the Pawtucket Red Sox, the Red Sox AAA franchise, looking at Worcester may have subsided some, the team may not be in Rhode Island for the long run, and the opportunity to be a competitive market bidding for that franchise may still be a possibility. Worcester has the potential to be a real minor league sports hub, and it could also be an amatuer sports hub as well. A new hockey facility is being developed in the Canal District, and the 14-acre Wyman Gordon site remains a potential asset whether building a mixed-use stadium or an indoor track facility and fitness facility. Worcester has a lot of assets, and the support for the Bravehearts shows that a well-run sports franchise can build a loyal following of corporate and community support. Building a story, and potentially more facilities, around minor league and amatuer sports in the city holds real potential – but will need advocacy and leadership from the business community to succeed.
WBJ Web Partners
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