Pistons led MJHL in attendance for 2022/2023 season

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This article was published 25/04/2023 (1103 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If there was any doubt the Steinbach market was ready for an upgraded building to watch junior hockey, it was put to rest by the 2022/2023 attendance numbers.

Steinbach averaged over 100 fans more than their nearest competition in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), with an average 931 people filing into the T.G. Smith Centre for every home game this season. They even out-did the Flin Flon Bombers, who play in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.

That was 118 more than the Virden Oil Capitals, who ended the regular season in second when it came to attendance.

Dauphin, Portage, Niverville and Winkler also averaged more than 500 per game in attendance, which was roughly the league average. The two Winnipeg-based franchises, the Blues and Freeze, were mired in terrible seasons on the ice, and only averaged attendances of 117 and 106 per game respectively (for games where attendance was reported).

The Niverville Nighthawks have fit right in to the league, averaging over 700 fans per game in their inaugural season. That figure included an impressive 1,100 night for their Oct. 29 game against the Portage Terriers.

The Nighthawks will have expanded capacity next season, as the team looks to install more stands and a in-game bar to the Niverville Resource and Recreation Centre arena.

Steinbach’s numbers are sure to take a dip next season, as the team looks for a temporary home while the South East Events Centre is being built. The main existing arena at the T.G. Smith Centre will be torn down for construction.

Steinbach’s attendance per game appears to have them in the top 10 in franchises across Manitoba, just behind the University of Manitoba Bisons football team, which averaged roughly 1,400 fans per home game last season.

The Pistons home rink next season has not been announced.