--PRINCE ALBERT-- Pen was put to pad yesterday marking a five-year deal between the Raiders and Prince Albert minor hockey, ensuring that Tier 1 travelling teams will wear Raiders' sweaters while also acquiring the Raiders name.
“I couldn't be happier, it's something that was an initiative that we brought forward almost four years ago,” said Raiders head coach and general manager Bruno Campese. “It has taken some time, but I am so pleased that it has happened.”
Major sponsors of the Prince Albert Minor Hockey Association (PAMHA) - NAPA, Venice House and Liteway Electric - will not be affected by the new deal, retaining their corporate sponsorship titles in a deal pegged by first-year PAMHA president Rod Dallman as a “three-way agreement.”
“I think it's a natural fit to have our Western Hockey League (WHL) team associated with Prince Albert minor hockey,” Dallman said. “We really want to make sure our major sponsors are recognized.
“They've been a part of minor hockey for a lot of years and we want to make sure that it's not just an agreement between Prince Albert minor hockey and the Prince Albert Raiders.”
The three travelling teams affected by the long-term deal are: the Peewee NAPA Raiders, the Bantam Venice House Raiders and the Midget Liteway Electric Raiders, which were formerly known as the Peewee NAPA Ice, the Venice House Pirates and the Midget Liteway Electric Thunder.
The commitment shown by all parties involved bodes well for all levels of hockey in Prince Albert, said Dallman.
Kids playing at the Tier 1 level from peewee up to midget will get a chance to wear the notorious yellow, green and black of the Raiders.
Hopefully wearing the Raiders sweater, Campese said, will add motivation to players working their way up the Prince Albert hockey ladder, culminating one day with a potential spot on the WHL side.
“It gets our kids thinking about being a Raider,” Campese said. “Kids come out and they'll watch a Mark McNeill or a Harrison Ruopp - players that have been drafted - and they will want to be like them.
“One day they may aspire to be a Raider and work that much harder and be that much more committed.”
During hockey season, people frequenting rinks across the province will find it difficult to avoid the menacing stare of the Raider head, a logo emblematic and synonymous of Prince Albert hockey.
“We are very proud as an organization again to put our brand on some more great, outstanding young hockey players,” said Bruce Vance, Raiders' business manager and director of marketing.
The three Tier 1 teams require new Raiders uniforms, but Dallman said that parents of minor hockey players face no extra financial burden with the new deal in place.
“There is a financial commitment from the Prince Albert Raiders,” said Dallman. “There will be no extra cost incurred for the sponsors or for the parents.”
The deal is seen by all entities involved as a unifying moment for hockey in Prince Albert.
Both parties said the five-year deal between PAMHA and the Raiders organization is evidence of their commitment to local businesses, sponsors and the hockey community alike.
The switch to Raiders uniforms for the three Tier 1 travelling teams will commence this season, starting in the fall.
You can e-mail Gary Pearson at gary.pearson@paherald.sk.ca or follow him on Twitter: @newagejourno
See this article on The Prince Albert Daily Herald newspaper
