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BCHL: Alberni Valley Bulldogs are for sale

The Port Alberni Junior Hockey Society seeks a buyer after six seasons of operation
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Alberni Valley Bulldogs forward Jackson Doucet squares off against a pair of Prince George Spruce Kings during a home game on Saturday, Nov. 17. ELENA RARDON PHOTO

The Alberni Valley Bulldogs Junior A Hockey Club is for sale.

The team announced Monday morning that they have started a search for ownership partners that will solidify the long-term success of the franchise in Port Alberni.

“The Bulldogs have been run by a committed group of local individuals who were determined to keep BCHL hockey in the Alberni Valley,” says PAJHS director Darren Deluca.

“The reality is that Junior A hockey is a business and we feel the time is right to find an ownership partner who shares our interest in the success of the team and the significant role it plays in our community.”

The Bulldogs franchise relocated to Port Alberni from Burnaby in 2002 and quickly became ingrained as an important part of the city’s sporting community. The team was sold in 2012 to the Port Alberni Junior Hockey Society, which has owned and operated the team for the past seven seasons.

The team boasts more than 700 season ticket holders, a team-friendly arena lease and “tremendous local corporate sponsorship support.”

“We have tremendous fans and sponsors that really set the Bulldogs organization apart,” says Deluca. “The relationship with local government is strong and there is a lot of money being invested in the economic development of our region. And anyone who has been inside the Alberni Valley Multiplex for a big game knows that this is a great hockey town. We’re very confident that potential partners will see all the reasons why the Bulldogs can thrive on and off the ice over the long term in Port Alberni.”

BCHL franchises sell at a wide range of values and Alberni Valley’s is going to be driven by the market, he noted.

“The Alberni Valley Bulldogs are an essential part of our local community,” City of Port Alberni Mayor Sharie Minions said in a statement.

“In addition to providing great entertainment to hockey fans in Port Alberni, the team contributes to numerous projects and events that benefit our citizens. We look forward to working with anyone whose goal is to ensure the long-term strength and stability of the Bulldogs organization in the Alberni Valley.”

editor@albernivalleynews.com