Grizzlys president Shane Dixon said he is happy with the state of the team's finances. During its annual general meeting on June 15 at the Olds Sportsplex, the board reported a $910 loss this past season.
"Considering the state of the economy, we did fairly well," Dixon said.
Members of the public and the Olds Sportsmen's Recreational Association were invited to the meeting and received a ticket for a 2016-17 regular season game. Dixon said they are projecting a $1,300 profit by then.
Dixon said head coach Dana Lattery had found efficiencies this past year in the hockey operations budget including finding cheaper, healthier meals and lower-priced hotel accommodations for road trips.
The team's stick budget was down 15 per cent from a season ago, he said.
However, all users of the Olds Sportsplex will be paying higher fees for ice this coming year.
Prime hours at the arena start after 4 p.m. on weekdays and are in effect all day on weekends. Since Grizzlys games take place during those times, the team will pay an extra $10 per game from September to April.
The cost of each practice from September to April will increase five dollars. The team only holds them during non-prime hours.
Dixon said the organization will focus on two fundraisers, one of them the Cash for Christmas raffle.
The other is the Friends of the Grizzlys Wall. There is space for approximately 80 more plaques, at a cost of $1,000 each. Donations are tax deductible and all the money goes toward paying the club's long-term debt.
Putting a good team on the ice that draws spectators would also bring in more revenue.
The Grizzlys president shared some numbers from an AJHL survey that showed one team pulling in an average of more than $20,000 per home game on a preferred night (Friday and Saturday). That includes ticket sales, 50/50s and concession. By contrast, the Grizzlys average just under $4,000 in revenue per game.
"Getting fans in the seats is key. If we had those numbers, it's a different world," he said.
"Getting fans in the seats is key. If we had those numbers, it's a different world."
