As a way of showing they truly are the community hockey team, the Langley Rivermen announced that all registered local minor hockey players will receive a free season ticket to watch the junior A hockey club.
That means all players in the Langley Minor Hockey Association, the Langley Girls Ice Hockey Association and the Aldergrove Minor Hockey Association — which last year totaled nearly 1,600 players — will attend for free in 2011/12, providing they have an adult with them.
"Junior A hockey is about the community, and more importantly, the kids," said Taylor Henderson, the club's director of operations.
The team was purchased by Taylor's father, Roy, and uncle, John, last month. They officially took control on June 1 and held an introductory press conference on Thursday, where they also announced Steve O'Rourke as the new head coach and general manager.
The Rivermen also announced a new ticket pricing scheme.
The early bird prices for season tickets (which is 30 games) is $139 for seniors and students and $198 for adults. A family of four can get tickets for $520.
Single game prices are $10 for adults, $7 for students and seniors and children under six are free.
"We want to create an event for families to come and enjoy," Taylor Henderson said. "Sure we have a hockey game, but we plan to have much more and it starts with affordability."
The team also unveiled their mascot, a Daniel Boone-type character.
The mascot remains unnamed and there will be a name the mascot contest through the team's website, www.LangleyRivermen.com, which launched June 6.