Windsor Express Draws Crowds

Windsor Express Draws Crowds

 

By Ken Pastushyn

Friday, February 27, 2015.

The Windsor Express, currently holding a 21 and nine record, are struggling to fill the
seats at the WFCU Centre.

Last year the Express won the National Basketball League of Canada’s championship,
attracting 3,500 to 4,000 fans during the finals. Yet the biggest concern of the Express
franchise is trying to get as many fans as possible to fill the  6,500 seat venue during the
regular season.

“The entire organization has to put their best foot forward when it comes to sales and
promotions,” said Matt DuMouchelle, the director of media affairs for the Express.
“Our average is about a thousand fans a game,” said Dartis Willis, president and CEO of
the Express. “It’s up since last year.”

Office staff, including Willis, agree there is still work to be done. On Feb.13, the
Express drew more than 2,000 fans to the WFCU Centre, the largest attendance of the
year.

They were playing against the London Lightning, the league leader that sets the
standard in attendance. They are the benchmark were pursing said Willis. The Express
lost to the Lightning by a score of 93-91.

“The Express is above average in attendance and the league is healthy,” DuMouchelle.
“The future is bright,” said Bill Jones, the head coach of the Express. “The organization
is in its third year and the league is in its fourth year.”

Being a new franchise, Willis said the Express needs to increase sales by inducing
promotion through grassroots marketing. He said they use basic promotions to reach
out to organizations and attracting fans to the arena. The most basic of all, he said, is
school visits.

“School visits are our number one backbone,” said DuMouchelle. “The kid interacts with
players, brings home a schedule and eggs on their parents to take them to a game.”
DuMouchelle said the Express also asks local children to sing the national anthem at the
games and bring out the Canadian flag and play on the court  during halftime.

DuMouchelle said community feedback is good and people are starting to recognize the
brand.

On Family Day, Feb. 16, the Express players shook hands and signed autographs with
local children at Adventure Bay  Water Park in  Windsor.

“People enjoy our product and meeting the players,” said DuMouchelle. “It’s an option
for people when spending their entertainment dollars. The Express cuts costs anyway
they can, but not to the point where it would hinder the organization.”

The motto of the Express is “word of mouth, each one, reach one.”
“We don’t have a ton of money on advertising, so we engage everyone as partners,” said
Willis. “A thousand dollars in marketing doesn’t pay off like speaking to a kid.”
With only one more home game, the Express is trying for a repeat of last year’s success.
To do it, they will have to go  through three playoff rounds, which begin on March 7.