Monday, April 27, 2009

Blatant Advertising Introduction & Frontenac Season Tickets

First off I want to introduce myself as a new writer here on Out of Left Field. I currently write for a Canadian soccer blog called The Canadian Stretford End where I cover everything Canadian soccer and Man. United. Aside from following soccer I also watch a lot of Queens Football, and Kingston Frontenacs games. As Don Cherry would say "He's a good ol' Kingston boy." On second thought Don Cherry would not approve of the soccer.

Last season was one of the worst in recent memory for the Frontenacs finishing second last in the OHL, but as the new season creeps around the corner I have the first Mavety story of the year.

On Saturday, I went to the K-Rock Centre to pick up season tickets for the Frontenacs. I've been a long-time fan, but never actually bought season tickets so going to pick up tickets in April was a first for me. The Fronts were hosting an open house where people were allowed to go into the arena pick out seats they liked and buy them at the front desk.

When I walked in I was greeted by a woman who talked to me for a bit about buying seasons seats, and a minute later I was in the arena scouting out my favourite seats. After a few more trips back to this woman running the ticket office and back into the arena finding seats that weren't taken I finally found what I wanted.

So I filled out a form with contact information and such (the advertising ploy the Fronts are using this year is "The Gilmour Era: Be a Part of It"). Then I went to pay for my tickets, and on the way out I had a few questions for the woman I had originally been talking to. She was very helpful and answered everything I needed to know. Finally she said, "If you have any more questions you can reach me here."

She handed me her business card and the first think that popped out to me was the name, Brenda Mavety. The administrator for the Frontenacs is life-long GM/ex-coach, Larry Mavety's relative.

I'm pretty sure that tells you everything you need to know about the Frontenacs and their sad history, along with a seemingly bleak future. It has almost come to the point that it is redundant saying this, but until something changes with the ownership and overall set-up this hockey club will remain a perennial loser.

So here's to another year with the Frontenacs not so different from the rest, while many people all across Ontario will be enjoying lengthy playoff runs, next April I will once again be inside an empty K-Rock Centre talking to some relative of our good friend Larry Mavety.

(Neate chips in: The second Mavety story of the day: The Belleville Bulls' Mike Murphy, the Kingston minor hockey product whom the Frontenacs passed on twice in the OHL draft, was named the league's top goalie today, for the second season in a row today. Granted, Murphy's Bulls are done for the season and the goalie whom Mavety took 44 picks ahead of him in the 2005 draft, Daryl Borden, is still playing ... for Brantford in the Ontario Junior B championship. Huzzah!

9 comments:

sager said...

I believe that is Mrs. Mav, the GM's spouse. It is literally a mom and pop store they're runnin' down there.

Jordie Dwyer said...

I'm ashamed...a kingston boy that follows hockey and NOT A MENTION of the goof-up that let this year's OHL goaltender of the year end up in Belleville.....tsk tsk

Sam said...

As of today Murphy is two time OHL goaltender of the year :(

I kinda jumped on the Vee's bandwagon at the end of the season watching a few playoff games. There are some quality players on that team who I fear the Fronts may let slip through their grasp as well. There are plenty of talented Kingston hockey players playing elsewhere. Taylor Hall being another fine example.

Andrew Bucholtz said...

Good to see you on board, Sam!

Amrit Ahluwalia said...

There is but one thing worse than being a Frontenacs fan watching your team finish second-last in the OHL.

That, of course, is being a Greyhounds fan watching your team lose 5(6?)-1 to said Frontenacs on route to finishing dead-last in the OHL.

sager said...

@ Amrit: That four-point swing got the 'Hounds Daniel Catenacci, so count your blessings.

Big V said...

This franchise is a JOKE...

I'd like to see an exhibition game between the fronts and the vees... winner plays in the OHL next year...

The sad part in my eyes is, i'd expect the Vee's to win...

MisterDB said...

Nice to see the on going Kingston connection on this great blog.

Everybody and their dog knows where I stand on the Fronts but I will say not all is evil in the off ice Frontenac doings. Obviously with all the years I have been going to the fronts I have come to know quite a few of the off ice people. Jeff and Brenda particularly. If I have a problem (which I had a major one during the first season at the K-Rock and Brenda was fantastic) or require something or ask for something it is always handle very well. There are many things wrong with the Fronts but for me this is one area that isn't broke, they could use some extra help for sure. Just a comment The Gilmour Era makes me cringe, the era hasn't proven a damn thing so far, as I said oh so much wrong with this team.

Sam said...

As I said I found Brenda quite helpful, it was just the fact that Mavety seems to be running a family business that upset me.