Most-attended season ever

Photo: Penticton Vees

Attendance for the Penticton Vees during the 2017-18 regular season was the most ever that a Junior A hockey team in Canada has ever had.

The Vees became the first team in the Canadian Junior Hockey League branch to average more than 3,000 fans per home game. They had an average of 3,055 over their 28 games at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

That total edges their previous best-ever average attendance of 2,981, which they set a season earlier.

“As a group we fell agonizingly short of 3,000 last year and committed in the summer to work as hard as possible to make sure it didn’t happen again,” David Michaud said, Vees director of corporate partnerships.

"We can’t thank our fans enough for rallying behind the team this year and supporting us they way they do.”

Michaud also praised the team's director of ticketing Laura Carleton for connecting with season-ticket holders and local businesses for group sales. 

More than 3,000 fans filled the SOEC 13 times this season during Vees games. 

The largest crowd was 4,342 — also the largest in any BCHL game this season — when Penticton earned a 3-2 overtime win against Trail on Jan. 20.

"The Vees thank their fans for the unparalleled support over the course of the 2017-18 season, and look forward to even bigger crowds during the Fred Page Cup playoffs," the team said in a news release.

Head coach and general manager Fred Harbinson, captain Owen Sillinger and team broadcaster Craig Beauchemin will meet with fans to discuss the regular season and look ahead to the playoffs on Tuesday night.

The event will be at 7 p.m. at Match Eatery and Public House in Penticton.