 ‘We’re going to take the finals,’ owner says
Despite the second-inning thumping they received at the hands of the Edmonton Capitals in their last regular season game in Calgary, The Vipers anticipate a division and a league win.
The Vipers suffered a serious drubbing in the top of the second inning with the Caps sending six around the bases, setting the stage for the Vipers to play catch up until the sixth inning, when six of their own crossed the plate. That blast wasn’t enough to get past the Caps stronger game.
Despite back-to-back losses, overall season standings leave the Vipers in a strong first place in the Golden League as they head into finals with a 47-25 best overall in the league.
Team owner, Jeff Gidney says despite dire predictions of potential franchise failure, 2009 is the team’s best year ever. “We broke all sorts of records this year,” Gidney says, “including attendance and revenue records, not to mention our win records. We had a 14 game-long win streak,” Gidney points out. The Vipers hold first place in both first and second season halves.
Kevin Price of the Calgary Vipers at the plate during the team’s 11-8 loss to their provincal rivals, the Edmonton Captials.
Photos: Julie-Carole Vincent/ Calgary Journal
Gidney says he keeps a close eye on revenues and attendance and that 2009 was banner year for both, noting the last two regular season games saw 3,400 and 3,000 spectators respectively. Gidney says the team has had no fall off in attendance despite the economic hit in the province. Rain was the attendance killer.
Vipers President, John Condrad, says the team has seen a dramatic upwards swing in attendance and revenues this year. Conrad’s marketing background has been a boon to the team. A variety of marketing and PR initiatives he’s instigated have resulted in heightened community involvement. One of those initiatives, a fundraising scheme with various junior teams in the city, provided revenues for those smaller teams through Vipers ticket sales and grew attendance at Vipers games.
The Vipers management has also established the Absolute Baseball Academy, which houses ten indoor batting and pitching tunnels, plus 16,000 square feet of artificial turf and their state-of-the-art Pro Batter system. The facility’s programs, targeted to young players, are led by pro-players including Nelson Castro, Colin Moro, Joe Sergent and Jorge Mejia from the Vipers team.
The Academy brings many young players to Foothills stadium for camps and brings them back with their families to see their own coaches play ball.
In addition to their expanded community involvements, this September 7, The Vipers facilities will play host to participants in the upcoming World Skills competition at a pre-Stampeders game function at the Vipers facility. World skills participants will then enjoy a Stampeders game at the adjacent McMahon Stadium.
As the Vipers head into playoffs, Jeff Gidney says he’s confident the team will scoop a win in short order. Round one of the North Division finals start in Edmonton with the next Calgary game on Friday September 4th. “We’re scheduled for two games after that, but we won’t need them,” say Gidney.
Golden League finals in Calgary games are scheduled for Friday, September 11. Ever confident about his winning team’s chances, Gidney says, “We’re going to take the finals.”
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