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Independence, MO —
Many teams in the Central Hockey League, especially those that were forced to cease operating because of a low fan base, would love to have had the number of fans who attended a Tuesday morning news conference at the Independence Events Center file through their doors for a game.
More than 175 fans poured into the President’s Club Tuesday morning to hear coach Scott Hillman and team president and general manager Brent Thiessen talk about their favorite subject – the Mavericks.
“Can you believe this?” asked Hillman as he scanned the crowd that reached from the President’s Club to the south entrance of the Events Center. “It’s the last day of July, it’s 104 and it’s noon and we have this many people here.
“Amazing. Just amazing. What a great group of fans we have.”
Thiessen simply shook his head in amazement when he looked at the overflow crowd.
“What a great turnout,” Thiessen said. “You always get a little nervous before something like this, because you have no idea what the turnout might be. We have built a great relationship with our fans and Eastern Jackson County, and this certainly proves that our fans are thinking about hockey.”
No one at the news conference sported a bigger smile than Independence Mayor Don Reimal, one of the biggest Mavericks supporters from Day 1.
“This turnout doesn’t surprise me at all,” Reimal said. “Every time I come to an event like this, it seems like there are more and more people there. And this is the biggest I’ve been a part of so far.”
District 1 councilwoman Marcie Gragg agreed, adding, “Our family has been season-ticket holders since the first season and we’ve enjoyed every game. The friendly atmosphere makes it a special place to go with your family. Our kids love the games as much as I do.”
The announcement of the return of former Maverick defenseman Blake Forsyth and the signing of all-star forward Brian Bicek drew big cheers, but the biggest seemed reserved for announcer Bob Rennison, who will be broadcasting all 66 regular-season games on KMBZ 1660 AM.
The only Mavericks front office decision I ever disagreed with came last year when they decided to air select games on WHB 810 AM, leaving a radio void for the team’s listening audience.
Rennison is the perfect fit for the Mavs as no one brings as much passion to the game as the man who eats, sleeps and breathes Mavericks hockey.
Many teams in the Central Hockey League, especially those that were forced to cease operating because of a low fan base, would love to have had the number of fans who attended a Tuesday morning news conference at the Independence Events Center file through their doors for a game.
More than 175 fans poured into the President’s Club Tuesday morning to hear coach Scott Hillman and team president and general manager Brent Thiessen talk about their favorite subject – the Mavericks.
“Can you believe this?” asked Hillman as he scanned the crowd that reached from the President’s Club to the south entrance of the Events Center. “It’s the last day of July, it’s 104 and it’s noon and we have this many people here.
“Amazing. Just amazing. What a great group of fans we have.”
Thiessen simply shook his head in amazement when he looked at the overflow crowd.
“What a great turnout,” Thiessen said. “You always get a little nervous before something like this, because you have no idea what the turnout might be. We have built a great relationship with our fans and Eastern Jackson County, and this certainly proves that our fans are thinking about hockey.”
No one at the news conference sported a bigger smile than Independence Mayor Don Reimal, one of the biggest Mavericks supporters from Day 1.
“This turnout doesn’t surprise me at all,” Reimal said. “Every time I come to an event like this, it seems like there are more and more people there. And this is the biggest I’ve been a part of so far.”
District 1 councilwoman Marcie Gragg agreed, adding, “Our family has been season-ticket holders since the first season and we’ve enjoyed every game. The friendly atmosphere makes it a special place to go with your family. Our kids love the games as much as I do.”
The announcement of the return of former Maverick defenseman Blake Forsyth and the signing of all-star forward Brian Bicek drew big cheers, but the biggest seemed reserved for announcer Bob Rennison, who will be broadcasting all 66 regular-season games on KMBZ 1660 AM.
The only Mavericks front office decision I ever disagreed with came last year when they decided to air select games on WHB 810 AM, leaving a radio void for the team’s listening audience.
Rennison is the perfect fit for the Mavs as no one brings as much passion to the game as the man who eats, sleeps and breathes Mavericks hockey.
He received a standing ovation when it was announced that he would return for his fourth season.
I love the team’s new slogan of “Give M Hell.” That slogan alone proves why the Mavericks are so successful. They embrace their roots, using a play on words from Harry Truman’s “Give ‘em hell,” slogan that gave him his moniker during his presidency.
The team will open the home season Nov. 3 and yes, Hillman and Thiessen are looking for a goalie to replace the seemingly irreplaceable Charlie Effinger.
It might have been 103 degrees outside the Events Center, but it was cooler than cool in the President’s Club, where everyone got their hockey fix for one steamy summer afternoon.
As Jane Boeck, a longtime sponsor and season-ticket holder said as she left the Events Center with her husband Al, “Maybe today will get me through the rest of the summer.”
That statement summed up the summer thoughts of everyone in attendance.
