A letter from the owner: we need Arnprior behind us
The Rivermen came close to ceasing operations this summer. Owner Adrian Moyes on what it will take to keep senior hockey in Arnprior.
To the town of Arnprior and the Rivermen Community,
We are writing to you today with a message of absolute commitment, but also one of complete transparency. The Arnprior Rivermen will be hitting the ice for another season, but to make this year a success — and to ensure the future of this team — we need the entire town to get behind us.
To be entirely honest, we came very close to ceasing operations this summer. While we cannot overstate our gratitude for our amazing, die-hard fans who show up for us every week, the reality is that outside of that core group, sustaining the necessary attendance to keep the team viable has been a significant struggle.
There is often a misconception about how teams at this level operate. In Junior hockey, players are often paying $5,000 or more a season to play. Senior hockey is entirely different. It is free for the players, meaning the team is funded 100% through the generosity of our sponsors and the fans in the seats. When attendance drops, it becomes incredibly difficult to ice a competitive roster — especially in a league where some opposing teams have budgets allowing them to pay upwards of $5,000 a game just to get players on the ice.
For our leadership group, running the Rivermen has never been a money-making venture. It has always been about passion, and about bringing high-level, entertaining hockey to our community that people want to see. But right now, we need you to show us that Arnprior still wants us to continue doing this.
We don’t want this to read like an ultimatum, although we understand it might sound like one. It is simply the reality of independent senior hockey. The time, effort, and financial commitment required from everyone involved behind the scenes is immense. We are fully committed to doing our part this year, and we are working tirelessly to ice a highly competitive team that will hopefully make you want to pack the rink. But we cannot do it alone. We need your support this year more than ever.
How you can help keep senior hockey alive in Arnprior
- Volunteer. We are looking for passionate fans with some free time to step up and help us form a Booster Club to promote the team and build community energy.
- Sponsor. To the wonderful businesses in our town, we need your partnership. Your sponsorships are the lifeblood of this organization.
- Buy season tickets. Committing to season tickets is the absolute best way to show that you want the Rivermen here for years to come.
Please reach out to us or share this post. We need all hands on deck to make this our best season ever.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Hopefully, together, we can make this work for our amazing town.
Adrian Moyes, Owner, Arnprior Rivermen