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HomeSportsHart AttackHARTLEY MILLER’S HART ATTACK – (THE BCHL BOSS) JULY 27TH, 2018 EDITION...

HARTLEY MILLER’S HART ATTACK – (THE BCHL BOSS) JULY 27TH, 2018 EDITION 690

Chris Hebb during his first trip to Prince George as the BCHL’s new Commissioner | Kyle Balzer, My PG Now

Chris Hebb is one month into his new job as BCHL Commissioner.

He succeeded John Grisdale who ran the league the last 15 years.

Hebb stopped in Prince George this week on his way to his hometown of Prince Rupert and discussed a number of key topics in an interview with MyPrinceGeorgeNow.com.

The former broadcaster and Vancouver Canucks executive has an impressive sports background having worked in sports management for decades, so what’s the attraction to taking on this position?

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“I have a skill set that I know can help. The second thing is I really like being in BC and not having to go anywhere else to pursue a career, and the third thing is this is selling hockey in Canada. We should be able to do a good job at this and I am up for the challenge.”

Hebb, in his early 60’s, is in charge of a league that he admits has a massive discrepancy between the best-run franchises and those that struggle.

“I think we have a lot of disparity in our league,” said Hebb.

“We have teams that are doing really well in big arenas and big markets and then we have small markets too. It’s really hard to bring the two solitudes together and make sure we are treating everybody fairly.”

“In terms of growing the business, we have to take everybody with us and that’s what I was brought in to do; is to take the BCHL to next level in terms of growing revenues, growing audiences and maybe even growing franchises.”

As with many junior leagues, the BCHL has numerous teams struggling at the gate with 10 of the 17 teams averaging less than 1,000 fans per game in the 2017-18 regular season.

(Prince George was 10th with an average of 888, while Merritt was at the bottom at just 452)

“The best thing to do to get attendance is win and you guys saw that last year. Another way you can look at is group sales.”

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Prince George Spruce Kings & Wenatchee Wild in playoff action in front of a sold-out RMCA | Kyle Balzer, My PG Now

One can argue attendance was down in many cities because the regular season lacked meaning since only one team failed to qualify for the playoffs.

“We are in the entertainment business. We want people to have a chance at a championship. I guess there is some value lost because you have so many teams making it, but if you are the 15th or 16th team to get into the playoffs, there’s a lot of value for you there.”

The Prince George Spruce Kings would welcome another northern team to help with travel but that isn’t on the radar.

“I haven’t heard any talk about that to be candid. If there is a good owner who sees Quesnel or
Williams Lake as an option, then expansion is something that we always have to entertain,” added Hebb.

“Prince George is sitting in a situation where they don’t have nearby rivals. They also have a great market, they have a great building and as of last year they had a great team. Sometimes, you have to take the good with the bad.”

One year down the road the new boss has three main objectives he hopes to accomplish.

“I would like to have seen every franchise do a little bit better financially. Frankly, that’s one of the reasons I was brought in. We have to do better on the business side in this sport,” stated Hebb.

“I would also like to see that there are really competitive teams that have a chance every night as opposed to kids walking into an arena knowing they are going to get shellacked. And the third thing is, I really love the value proposition that the BCHL offers of getting kids to University. This year we are going to send 155 kids into University. I would like to see that go up.”

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Like many businesses, the BCHL is looking for innovative ideas to improve the product and capture a bigger market share.

Hebb has the resume’ to lead and produce, but the task is massive with 17 franchises (from Prince George to Powell River, from Trail to Wenatchee) having a unique agenda and their issues that go with it.

 

FROM THE QUOTE RACK:

Why do people keep talking about Tiger Woods when he isn’t winning? I mean who does he think he is? Me?

*ESPY host Danica Patrick

 

At the Tour de France the police were trying to control protesters at the race by spraying tear gas, but they held up the race because they accidentally sprayed the cyclists. They halted the race because of tear gas. That’s the least dangerous chemical the average Tour de France rider has in their system.

*Late Late Show host James Corden

 

Dick’s Sporting Goods stores in the Cleveland area are selling LeBron James jerseys for half price. You can also get a cut-rate deal on a J.R. Smith jersey, but they make you wait till closing time.

*Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://www.seattletimes.com/author/dwight-perry/

 

The Ohio DMV is using a picture of LeBron James to discourage applicants from smiling for their driver’s license photo. The other option is displaying the Cleveland Browns logo.

*Comedy writer Jim Barach http://jokesbyjim.blogspot.ca/

 

Longtime Raider announcer Greg Papa will not be moving with the team to Las Vegas. He was reported as saying, ‘Papa Is Not a Rolling Stone.’

*Contributor Bill Littlejohn

 

Johnny Manziel has been traded to the Montreal Alouettes.  And we thought poutine was Montreal’s biggest hot mess.

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*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com

 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

MLB Hall-of-Famer Andre Dawson went to work in his Miami funeral home after the Marlins fired him. So far, no business from the old team — they’re doing great burying themselves.

*Comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com

 

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Hartley Miller is the sports director and morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT.
He also is the 94.3 radio color commentator for P.G. Cougars home games.
His column appears Fridays on myprincegeorgenow.com.
Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to [email protected].
Follow him on Twitter: @Hartley_Miller

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