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[Victoria Watcher]

The South Island-based Victoria Grizzlies has scored a new owner, who’s set to take the reins of the junior “A” hockey team that’s been around for three decades.

 

The team, founded in 1994, announced Tuesday that local businessman Jim Hartshorne has a deal in place to acquire majority ownership of the Victoria Grizzlies Hockey Club, which is part of the BC Hockey League (BCHL). 

 

The purchase is expected to close on June 1, pending final approval from the BCHL office and board, according to the Grizzlies in a news release.

 

The team says Hartshorne is no stranger to the Victoria sports scene. He’s the current owner and alternate governor of the Western Lacrosse Association’s Victoria Shamrocks and previously owned the Western Hockey League’s Victoria Cougars.

 

 

https://www.cheknews...-owner-1197659/

[Victoria Watcher]

“I love community-owned teams but community-owned teams in every city are ­having problems. That model just doesn’t work anymore,” said Hartshorne, 75, a Westshore businessman and developer.

The Grizzlies placed fourth in the just-completed 2023-24 regular season in the Coastal Conference of the BCHL and open the playoffs Friday and Saturday at The Q Centre in the first round of the playoffs against the fifth-place Nanaimo Clippers.

“The Grizzlies are good but we want to take them to great on the ice,” said Hartshorne.

Off the ice, as well, added Hartshorne: “With an emphasis on getting fans back into The Q Centre to enjoy this brand of hockey. We want to triple the fan base. It will be great to see ­Grizzlies games full of excited and enthusiastic fans, the same way our Shamrocks [lacrosse] games have been for years.”

https://www.timescol...o-great-8538897






75 years old.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 04 April 2024 - 03:34 AM.