The WHL hockey team looks toward a vibrant season — and hopefully a larger student audience
Victoria’s hockey team, the Royals, started their season last weekend with a win and a loss in two games against the Tri-City Americans at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Center.
After a disappointing first-round exit last season in the team’s first playoff appearance since 2020, the Royals’ management is looking forward to a more successful year with support from a key demographic in Victoria — UVic students.
“Community is one of [the] pillars of the organization,” said Kurtis Fischer, Royals manager of fan experience, in an interview with the Martlet. The team has a strong base of older fans, but Fischer is working to make Royals games one of the go-to activities for younger Victoria residents. “We’re really trying to encourage students to come out to games.”
Unfortunately, many UVic students do not know about the Royals.
“I had really not heard anything about them as a UVic student,” said fourth year student Hannah Penner. Penner, a lifelong hockey fan, wants to start a Vancouver Canucks fan club on campus, but knows little about Victoria’s team. “I’ve seen signs that say ‘Victoria Royals,’ but I didn’t really know what league they were in,” she said.
The Royals play in the Western Hockey League (WHL), a major junior-level league consisting of players aged 20 and under in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the western United States.
Many WHL players consider their time in the league a stepping stone on their way to the NHL, so Royals games give fans a chance to catch tomorrow’s stars while they’re still rising.
In the 2024 NHL draft, five of the top 20 first round picks came from the WHL — more than any other development league internationally. The list of famous WHL alumni includes retired Calgary Flames superstar Jarome Iginla, Vancouver Canucks legend Trevor Linden, and current Chicago Blackhawks phenomenon Connor Bedard.
“[He] came through town a couple years ago with Regina,” said Kurtis Fischer, referring to a game Bedard played against the Royals in 2022, months before being drafted first overall. “We have players that are projected to be NHLers one day, so you can see them at the ground floor.”
Since WHL players are young, the hockey is exciting, but also offers a sense of relatability to UVic students. Fischer hopes students will want to come to games to watch their peers.
“Our [players] are 16-20,” he said. “There’s overlap.”
According to Penner, one reason for students’ unawareness of the Royals is that there seems to be little discussion about the team at UVic. “It’s just not talked about,” she said.
Despite the lack of conversation on campus, some UVic students are regular attendees of Royals games.
“[Games] are really fun when I go,” said fourth year student Sarah Keegan, who has attended a few games. “For students it’s really nice because it’s a relatively inexpensive activity.”
The lowest price for a Royals ticket is $13, making it a more affordable alternative for those who may not want to pay the $115 starting price to sit in the nosebleeds at a Friday night Canucks game.
This year, the Royals plan on being proactive in getting more students interested in the team.
“One thing I want to do this year is some sort of student night,” said Kurtis Fischer. His plans may include operating a shuttle from UVic to the arena for a game, and partnering with local businesses to offer discounts for the night to students with tickets.
“We want to bring in students and young people who are going to bring the energy and bring up the atmosphere inside the arena,” he said.
If you’re looking for an indoor event to kick off the fall/winter season, find tickets and more information about the team on the Royals’ website.