Ron Kantowski:

Hockey on a budget

Wranglers open season with the economy a continuing challenge

STEPHEN R. SYLVANIE / SPECIAL TO THE SUN

Wranglers goaltender Michael Ouzas stops a close shot by Ontario winger Brian Matte as Las Vegas defensemen Chris Frank and Craig Switzer push Matte from the crease during a preseason game at the Orleans Arena. The Wranglers’ seventh season kicks off tonight.

By Ron Kantowski (contact)

Friday, Oct. 16, 2009 | 2 a.m.

What: Las Vegas Wranglers vs. Utah Grizzlies
When: 7:05 tonight
Where: Orleans Arena
Tickets: $12.50-$38; lasvegaswranglers.com

Las Vegas Wranglers

Wranglers announce opening day roster (10-14-2009)
No. 9: Thunder shakes the Mack (11-13-2008)
Columnist Ron Kantowski: Reviewing some of the Thunder's blunders (4-8-1999)
Thunder to return to Las Vegas (1-6-1998)
Playoff effort not par with Thunder's talent (5-30-1996)

Las Vegas Wranglers

In a few hours they will drop the puck on their seventh consecutive campaign of slashing, high-sticking and roughing at the Orleans Arena, thereby breaking the defunct Las Vegas Thunder’s record of slashing, high-sticking and roughing longevity in Las Vegas, which stood at six seasons.

I don’t know if this fact constitutes the proudest moment in Las Vegas Wranglers history, because it’s up against the memorable Kelly Cup playoff run of 2007-08 and the just-as-memorable-if-not-more-so Mini Kiss concert of 2005 when Mini Gene Simmons and Mini Paul Stanley and Mini Ace Frehley played so loud after a Wranglers game you could hear them back in Mini Sota.

“Do we get a plaque?” said Billy Johnson, the Wranglers’ president and chief operating officer, on the occasion of the team’s seventh anniversary.

The Wranglers should get a plaque or a gold star or total consciousness on their death bed from “Slapshot’s” Reggie Dunlop for making it this long and this far in a town that is like bad elastic when it comes to supporting pro sports franchises.

It hasn’t been easy to keep the turnstiles turning. Last year, when the economy tanked like Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in northern Africa, it was downright difficult. This year, it’s still going to be downright difficult. The economy is bouncing back slowly, but not here, not yet, says Johnson, a true desert fox when it comes to the promotional side of operating a minor-league hockey franchise. Or need I remind you of Rod Blagojevich Prison Uniform Night?

The Wranglers are doing a rope-a-dope when it comes to the economy, Johnson said. Like Ali against Foreman, they are on the ropes, covering up for their financial life.

“Hopefully, it’ll punch itself out,” he said. “We’ll do the best we can and try not to spend too much money.”

Johnson, who usually leaves the slashing and other unsavory tactics indigenous to minor-league hockey to the team’s checking line, has had to do some slashing himself. He has slashed the team’s media relations position, slashed a lot of the budget for live promotions (goodbye Mini Kiss and full-sized Billy Idol impersonators), slashed luxury items such as fancy season tickets for those who could scrape together the cash to renew them.

If Slash, the guitar player of some repute for Guns N’ Roses, moonlighted as a left wing, Johnson might have to slash Slash in an effort to return to the halcyon days where the team only lost an acceptable sum of money, instead of an egregious sum.

The Wranglers have never turned a profit.

That’s not unusual at the minor league level, Johnson said. But with season ticket renewals down 20 percent, team principals are probably closer to taking a financial bath than the financial shower to which they are accustomed.

Attendance has steadily declined at Wranglers games, from an average of 5,075 in 2006-07 to 4,970 in 2007-08 to 4,621 last season. Attendance at last year’s playoffs was abysmal, as the Wranglers averaged only 3,470 paying customers, which would make any COO snarl like Billy Idol. Or at least a Billy Idol impersonator.

Things are tough all over in the ECHL. In 2003, the league sported 31 teams. This season, it begins with 20. Last year, the ECHL lost four teams, including two that folded in the middle of the season. Even if one of them was Fresno, that’s never good.

Johnson calls the flagging economy a “big, heavy warship” but he vows to man the lifeboats to keep the Wranglers afloat. He said the organization has always prided itself in making a professional presentation and he’s confident it will continue to do so, despite all that slashing behind the scenes. He says the business model the franchise has adopted out of necessity makes financial sense.

Now, it’s a matter of it also making financial dollars if the Wranglers are to make it to an eighth season and beyond.

“It’s like my Facebook page says — wear bright colors but stay low,” said Johnson, who is nothing if not committed to providing family entertainment, or at least slashing, high-sticking and roughing, at an affordable price.

Did he say stay low?

Until the economy digs itself out of this corner, Johnson says he is prepared to chiefly operate the Wranglers on Mini Peter Criss’ level, if that’s what it takes.

Discussion: 7 comments so far…

By vagman

10/16/09 at 8:28 a.m.

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What a disappointing article. I can see the value in talking about the financial problems with running a business, but it should go beyond that. Ron missed a great opportunity to promote the Wranglers. There is no mention about what a great entertainment value for the dollar the games are, nothing about community support for a local team, nothing to make people want to come see.
By lvwranglers

10/16/09 at 9:30 a.m.

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I agree. My family loves going to the games and try to hit 10-12 games a year plus playoffs. The playoff attendence figures are misleading because most of the home games were on weekdays due to scheduling conflicts with the Orleans Arena. My kids are 10-12 and becuase of school we cannot take them to weekday games - Especially last year when the games started at 7:30. I am glad they went back to the old 7:05 start time. We better have Paul signing the National Anthem tonight - need to start the season on a good note. GO WRANGLERS!
By matadams4u

10/16/09 at 10:26 a.m.

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I was really impressed to see Southpoint Casino as a sponsor this year. Michael Gaughan and his family has always been a class act in this town and to provide support for the Wranglers even after selling the Orleans really says a lot for their support of organizations that provide quality and value to the community. Don't get me wrong, the Orleans and Boyd also appear to have really stepped up to the plate too. And of course Blue Man Group and Mystere and the V Theatre also deserve credit for their great support. And let's not forget the Sun for really enhancing their coverage this year. I know I am leaving a lot of people and organizations out - but there are some groups really stepping up to the plate to make every effort to provide quality and value sports entertainment in Las Vegas.
By Corky

10/17/09 at 8:17 p.m.

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I have never seen any sponsorship support from the Gaughan family or the Southcoast. The stories out there about them are quite opposite. Where did you see they were sponsors?
By Randolf

10/17/09 at 8:39 p.m.

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Typical Ron Stinkowski article taking a shot at the Wranglers. I don't ever remember reading an article of his that was positive towards the Wranglers. Thank goodness we have Steve Silver's stuff to read and comment on.
By matadams4u

10/17/09 at 11:38 p.m.

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I thought I saw the name on the boards around the ice at the game. Oh, for full disclosure under the FTC - nothing free from the Southpoint, free stuff from the Orleans (very little directly, mostly indirectly), but they wouldn't know it, free stuff from Blue Man Group but they wouldn't know it, free stuff from Mystere all indirectly, and free stuff from V Theatre but they wouldn't know it (not knowing means it came from a third party and not directly). Wranglers, very occassional free stuff over five years (a little directly, some third party), but I pay my own season ticket. None of it influenced my post, but I don't want to go to jail either.