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24 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR:JONKUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2012 Blades' new owners hope to solve attendance issues tard," he said. "I can open a door, but they've got to go through it. Is it a factor? Yes. Is it BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR a main factor? I don't think so. This is a The Oakville Blades, one of the Ontario personal decision. I'm doing this for me." Junior Hockey League's powerhouse franBerg and Harvey both said the new ownchises -- on the ice, at least -- in recent ership hopes to improve the team's relationyears, have changed hands. ship with local sports organizations -- parLong-time owner, president and general ticularly the Minor Oaks Hockey Association manager Carlo Coccimiglio recently sold (MOHA) -- while maintaining the lofty the junior A club to an ownership group standard the Blades have set on the ice over headed by Toronto lawyer Ira Berg. Duncan the past five years. Oakville reached four Harvey, who has coached the Oakville straight OJHL finals before that streak was Rangers 1997-born AAA team for the past snapped last season, representing Central seven seasons, will Canada at two Royal Bank Cup national replace Coccimiglio as championships during that span, but has the team's general struggled with chronically poor attenmanager, and Kevin dance. Gomes unseats Matt "I've tried to pride myself on how we've Moore as the Blades' run the (1997) Rangers team. I think with head coach. the Blades, our goal is to try and build the Berg said he has best junior A program in Canada. That's been interested in what the new owners want," Harvey said. owning a junior A "That's everything from player experience to hockey team for quite fan experience. We've got a new arena some time, and the (Sixteen Mile Sports Complex) that holds Ira Berg opportunity to buy the 1,500 seated fans and an additional 300 Blades -- a team he standing, and it's nowhere near capacity described as the "Toronto Maple Leafs or right now. As great as it is to have this beauMontreal Canadiens of the junior league" tiful facility, it doesn't do us much good -- was one he just couldn't pass up. when no one shows up." "It's a variety of things... The first is, I do Harvey, like Berg, is optimistic that have a passion for hockey. I've always loved potential support is out there. it," said the 53-year-old Toronto resident. "Carlo did a fantastic job, but he also did "The second is, this in parmarketing and general ticular is a great franchise "I think with the Blades, managing and coaching and with a great legacy and I our goal is to try and he was the owner," Harvey hope a great future. said. "The new owners will build the best junior A "Plus, when you're talkbe a bit more divide and ing about the financial side program in Canada. conquer. We will have guys OAKVILLE BEAVER FILE PHOTO of things, I'd say Oakville has That's everything from who just focus on certain some very interesting possi- player experience to fan areas like sponsorships, fan SEEKING FANS: The Oakville Blades have celebrated a lot of goals over the past two seasons, bilities," added Berg, who experience." experience, player develop- many of them in front of empty seats at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex. The new ownership of the junior A hockey club is optimistic it can drastically improve attendance numbers as soon as next season. chose not to disclose the ment. amount he and the rest of New Oakville Blades general "We know the fans are the new ownership group manager Duncan Harvey here because when the team done a wonderful job with that team over strained relationship with the MOHA. Each paid for the club. "I think it's does well in the playoffs, the years and has put his heart and soul and side has differing opinions on why the relationship didn't improve, but Coccimiglio far away enough from Sixteen Mile will sell out," dedication into that team." Coccimiglio, who has been said he hopes the change in ownership will Toronto and other major sports centres he added. "People will come if with the Blades in various capaci- solve the problems. where, if we can grow this as a really com- they're provided with a good prodties for the past eight years, said "Hopefully, the community will support munity-based team, we have a very good uct." cutting all ties with the team was these (owners)," he said. "You need minor opportunity certainly not to lose money, I Coccimiglio said he'd turned a difficult decision. hockey on your side to support this team." hope, and really grow it into something away interest from many poten"I miss it. I really enjoyed Harvey said the Blades are working on fantastic." tial buyers over the past few years, what I was doing," said the association agreements with the MOHA, the Berg's twin sons, Eli and Zachary Berg, but he felt comfortable selling the 56-year-old Burlington resident. Oakville Hornets Girls Hockey Association both played for the Greater Toronto Hockey team to a group that chose Harvey "I want to thank all the sup- and Skate Oakville figure skating. The League's Toronto Young Nationals midget as its general manager. porters we did have, and I had fun Blades general manager said the club will AAA team last season, and both are age-eli"I thought it would be a good for eight years... We were very announce details of those agreements in the gible to play junior A in the fall. But Ira Berg fit to get minor hockey back into successful. We made a lot of near future. said that wasn't the primary reason he pur- the picture with the Oakville Carlo Coccimiglio headway in the community." chased the Blades. Blades," Coccimiglo said. Coccimiglio wasn't, however, able to -- Jon Kuiperij can be followed "I hope (they) can be on the team, but I "(Harvey) has been involved with the on Twitter @Beaversports made it clear that they have to cut the mus- minor midgets for six or seven years. He's make much headway with the club's longBy Jon Kuiperij