PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 24, 2016

VICTORIA, B.C. – The best amateur men’s baseball teams are coming to Victoria, and Victoria will be fully prepared.

A 15-member committee has been appointed in preparation for the 2017 Baseball Canada Men’s National Championship, taking place in Victoria this August. Additional roles will be filled, with volunteer opportunities available, in the time leading up to the tournament. The event is being backed by the Victoria HarbourCats, and the B.C. capital will be hosting this event in back-to-back summers, 2017 and 2018.

The 10-team national championship tournament, with provincial pride on the line as teams seek a coveted Canadian title and the gold that goes with it, takes place August 24-28, 2017 in Victoria. Games will be played primarily at Royal Athletic Park.

Lambrick Park, home to the Victoria Eagles of the Premier Baseball League, and the Mavericks men’s baseball program, will serve as a secondary host site. In total, fans will be able to choose from 26 games, including the bronze- and gold-medal games on “playoff Sunday.”

Co-Chairmen Shawn Petriw and Gary Beyer lead the committee.

“This is a fantastic group of people who are excited to put on a great national-scale event like this in Victoria, and show off our great park and the support this city has always given to baseball,” said Petriw. “Meetings have been taking place since last fall.

“The nationals is high level, and it’s intense with the emotion of teams play for the gold medal. As a preview to this event, the B.C.-champion Burnaby Bulldogs, who are the province’s rep for nationals, will be playing the HarbourCats at Royal Athletic Park on July 15-16, giving people a taste of what they’ll see in August. This extends the baseball season in Victoria, into that great late-August weather.”

The remainder of the committee consists of:

Logistics: Dave Cockle

Finances: Trisha Thame

Accommodation: Kelly Kurta

Tickets: Darlene Cockle and Bonnie Emery

Media Relations: Jonathan Hodgson

Social Media: Paul Seal

Umpires and Scorekeepers: Eric Metson

Groundskeepers: Ken Pollard

Second Facility: Dave Garton

Mavericks Lead Liaison: Lance Burrows

HarbourCats Leadership: Jim Swanson, Brad Norris-Jones, Brittany French

Tournament ticket packages will be available on Wednesday, February 1, with seating preference for HarbourCats season-ticket holders. Corporate support information is also being completed by the committee.

The tournament schedule will be released in the spring through Baseball Canada.

WINTER BASEBALL TRAINING

The HarbourCats are offering a series of instructional youth baseball camps at the Westshore Training Academy (2950 Westshore Parkway, Victoria, BC).

HarbourCats personnel will conduct the camps including Jim Swanson (MLB scout), Troy Birtwistle (HarbourCats assistant coach), Andrew Wilson (HarbourCats assistant coach), Brad Norris-Jones (HarbourCats general manager) and other guest instructors.

Dates:

January 28 – 29

February 11 – 12

February 25 – 26

March 11 – 12

March 25 – 26

Saturday sessions run from 3:00pm until 5:00pm, and Sunday sessions run from 6:00pm until 8:00pm.

Registration for all 12 sessions (10 sessions remain) costs $175 or $20 for single sessions.

A HarbourCats t-shirt and hat is included with registration.

Brad Norris-Jones will be conducting individual or group sessions on select weeknights (Monday to Thursday).

2017 SEASON TICKETS

Over 60,000 fans attended HarbourCats games in 2016 for an average of 2,239 fans per game, which led the West Coast League and ranked ninth in all of North America among summer-collegiate clubs.  Secure your favorite seat today for the 2017 season.

Seating location and pricing options are as follows—

DIAMOND CLUB SEATS (Field Level Box Seats in 2016)

$550 (SOLD OUT)

MAIN GRANDSTAND (Section 10, covered)

$395

PREMIUM SEATING (Sections 6-7-8-9-11-12, blue bucket seats)

$375

GENERAL ADMISSION (Silver bleachers, picnic areas, wheelchair seating, soccer grandstand)

$275

*All prices listed are base price, and do not include fees or GST.

Visit the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or call (778)-265-0327 to purchase season tickets or for more information. You can also email brittany@harbourcats.com for further details, or go to the team website at harbourcats.com.

2017 MARINERS/BLUE JAYS VACATION

The HarbourCats are staging their second consecutive fan vacation to Seattle in 2017 to see the Blue Jays take on the Mariners.

The 2017 vacation takes place June 9-11, 2017 and will include:

• Travel on Wilson’s Transportation buses from to and from Victoria and Seattle. Ferry cost also included.
• Field level tickets for all three Blue Jays @ Mariners games at Safeco Field.
• Two nights at the Hilton Embassy Lynnwood.

Total cost is $798 per person (based on double occupancy). Different rates available for triple as well as single occupancy.

Registration for HarbourCats season ticket holders is $725 (based on double occupancy). The trip is not expected to interfere with the HarbourCats home schedule, as the team is expected to be on the road during this time.

To register, contact Carey Shelby at Flight Centre (1-866-299-5614) or carey.shelby@flightcentre.ca

OFFICE HOURS

The HarbourCats office (1814 Vancouver Street, 778-265-0327) is open and operating under off-season hours.

Off-season hours are as follows:

MONDAY-FRIDAY – 10:00am – 4:00pm

SATURDAY-SUNDAY – Closed (Except by appointment)