Halifax sports teams playing before jam-packed crowds

Halifax is the home of the Mooseheads and the home team is enormously successful on and off the ice.

“We are very fortunate that the Mooseheads have been able to do that for 30 years now, which is not lost on us as a franchise,” said Scott Macintosh, media relations director for the Mooseheads.

In this 30th anniversary season, the team has set a new high for season-ticket sales.

“Just in our last eight games alone, we have averaged 9,100 fans per game,” said Macintosh.

The Mooseheads are not the only team cramming fans into the Scotiabank Centre.

“This is what we expected, that the community would rally behind the team,” said Halifax Thunderbirds CEO and president John Catalano.

In just five years, the Halifax Thunderbirds of the National Lacrosse League have built a huge following.

Recent games this season have drawn more than 9,000 people per game.

“The game is secondary to everything we do,” said Catalano. “The atmosphere is really what people have gravitated to. It’s an unbelievable night out and f you come once you will want to come back again.”

Not to be forgotten, the Halifax Wanderers, who draw roughly 6,000 fans per game consistently.

“What I think it demonstrates is that the city is growing,” said Wanderers president Derek Martin. “And as the city continues to grow there is a greater need to have entertainment, specifically sports entertainment for the growing population.”

Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame CEO and president Bruce Rainnie said Halifax fans appreciate and have shown they will support franchises that are run properly and remain competitive.

“And all of these teams, that we are talking about in this interview, are teams that are doing pretty well,” said Rainnie. “They are showing up and playing hard, and Halifax fans appreciate that.”

According to Halifax sports fan like Mike Fougere, the success of these franchises proves something he has known all of his life.

“I think Halifax is good, a very good sports town,” said Fougere.

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