Senior hockey fans want to see more support from Hockey NL

With declining attendance and waning interest in the game, some senior hockey fans in central Newfoundland are calling on Hockey NL to do more to help support teams in the area.

The Central West Senior Hockey League looked to be in jeopardy for 2016-17 after the Corner Brook Royals chose to forgo the season, and low ticket sales nearly forced the Clarenville Caribous off the ice.

Ted Drover is a Caribous super fan and says in order for the league to be successful, the province's governing body for amateur hockey ought to do more to promote the game.

"You need revenue income to keep everything balanced and, on that note, I would personally like to see Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador jump on board with a marketing campaign of their own," said Drover.

"I think if Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador were to introduce an aggressive marketing campaign, all would benefit."

'Definitely a role for it'

Gary Hennessey is a Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts season ticket holder and agrees the provincial organization could be more involved.

"Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador has certainly been involved in senior hockey for years and have imposed themselves with a number of imports and things like that. I think there's definitely a role for it," he said.

Hennessey said the teams can also better promote themselves, especially to the next generation of fans.

"Even the players going into the schools, and working with minor hockey kids and stuff like that, might generate interest for attendance to games," he said.

"The kids might get pumped up a bit more and want to go and bring their parents, and that would increase attendance as well."

Despite their complaints, both Drover and Hennessey are hopeful for the league's future, and touted its quality of hockey.