A Troubling Trend

The writing was on the wall.

Where there’s smoke there’s fire.

You can use all of the bullshit cliches you want to describe the drama and subsequent sale of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, but that doesn’t make anything better for that franchise and region. With all that has gone on the QMJHL could see a troubling trend on the horizon.

The recent sale and relocation of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan is great for Newfoundland and the league, but it also comes with a massive warning for other markets struggling at the gate.

Whenever a city and region loses a hockey team it’s incredibly sad, when the organization is relocated you witness polar opposites in the hockey world, devastation and elation.

The QMJHL can release all of the attendance numbers they want, but that’s like the equivalent of polishing a turd for markets that are experiencing dwindling numbers at the gate or trying to make ends meet.

Obviously, we all heard the rumblings about the Titan for years now, which is part of the business, but no doubt was extremely stressful for staff and all of the people on the frontlines of that franchise.

We see the hype videos and all of the attention surrounding the move which is fantastic, but on the other hand we are seeing the same product disappear in a market that has tried so hard to hang on for years.

This should act as shot across the bow for other cities, the fans and their franchises who continue to bleed money.

Losing the AHL in the early 90’s left a significant hole in the City of Moncton. The birth of the QMJHL in the hub city went over like a fart in church. Everyone knows what happened next and the rest is history, but everyone knows you can’t make a go of things if you don’t have asses in the seats or very deep pockets.

Bleeding money is common place for any junior hockey organization, breaking even in some years probably feels like winning a championship, but only the people behind the scenes know the full story.

Speaking of full stories, what about all of the players that called Bathurst home during their career. What about all of the billet families and loyal fans? Who will tell their stories coming down the stretch?

Their stories will now become memories of a proud junior hockey city and region. Obviously, that story doesn’t have a happy ending.

Lost in all of the shit that’s gone on is the job Gordie Dwyer and his scouting staff have done to build out a solid group and to acquire and accumulate assets for the future. The product on the ice tells the real story. Dwyer has created a culture within the organization one that’s built on character and work ethic.

You know exactly what you’re going to get when you take on the Titan and that’s an honest effort every night, which ironically has epitomized the city and region for years which makes their final months in the QMJHL even more difficult.

A troubling trend has turned into a harsh reality for the Bathurst region, one that other markets should learn from.