Express make history at Caesar’s Windsor

by Brett Hedges

History was made Jan. 15 when the Windsor Express played the London Lightning in National Basketball League of Canada action at Caesar’s Windsor.

The Clash at the Colosseum marked the first time in history that a professional basketball game took place at a casino in Canada. More than 2,800 people watched the Express defeat its rival, the Lightning, with an 86-78 score. The win also put Windsor in first place overall in NBL Canada.

Afterwards, Express point guard Darren Duncan, was thankful to the big crowd for being part of the historical event.

“One word – awesome,” Duncan said. “The fan support, the crowd was awesome. They were really into it. We really fed off of that crowd. But the key is not having them for one game. We want to keep this crowd and feed off of it.”

The Express normally play their home games at the WFCU Centre in front of crowds in the 600-700 range. One of the main complaints from fans is that the WFCU is too far from the city’s core.

Azzy Rennie, a Riverside secondary school student who attended his first Express game at Caesar’s, believes the event will help generate more fans in the future.

“A lot of people know who the Windsor Express is now,” Rennie said. “Being at Caesar’s, the game was easier to get to and more accessible.”

Transit Windsor only offers one route that goes directly to the WFCU, the Lauzon 10, which only loops its route between Lauzon Parkway and the border of the town of Tecumseh.  Fans in any other part of Windsor would have to use a variety of routes – and hope they catch their connecting buses to go watch the Express.

Despite the teams’ struggles to draw more fans, NBL Canada commissioner, Paul Riley, said the franchise is critical to the success of the league as a whole.

“It’s been tough for them to get entrenched in their community,” Riley said. “But it takes time. The work they’re doing (ownership group), the efforts they’re making, we’re confident it will pay off.”

Riley dispelled rumours of the franchise folding in the near future.

“The Express are going to be around for a long time,” he said.

Season ticket holder Brad Bondy, wholeheartedly believes that the city needs to embrace the Express more.

“This team is unbelievable, they put on a great show,” Bondy said. “The fan support was terrific. I think this (Caesar’s) proved that the venue is important.  Hopefully, it will have a domino-effect and will encourage people to come out to the WFCU for the rest of the season.”

Riley described the game as “spectacular” and agreed the venue was a factor in its appeal.

“They called it the Clash at the Colosseum and it was a spectacle,” he said. “This is what happens when you put a pro basketball game in downtown Windsor.”

Riley hopes there will be an encore performance at the Colosseum.

“Tonight was a smashing success,” Riley said. “I’d love to see another game here, I’d love it.”