PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 4, 2017

VICTORIA, B.C. – A familiar voice and face to Victoria sports fans is joining the HarbourCats broadcast team this season.

Jonathan Hodgson returns in 2017 as play-by-play voice of HarbourCats broadcasts and will be joined by veteran Victoria sports media personality, Steve Duffy for the Shaw TV Game of the Week.

Duffy will join Hodgson in the booth to form the broadcast team for Shaw TV broadcasts.

Sports fans in Victoria will be familiar with Duffy as a popular radio personality and commentator throughout his storied 44-year career covering the Victoria sports landscape.

Duffy began in Victoria as a sports reporter on 1220 CKDA in the 1970’s. In 1995, the station became 100.3 The Q, where Duffy remained until 2003.

Duffy spent the last 14 years at CFAX 1070 where he most notably co-hosted the morning show with Al Ferraby.

Duffy became well known for his commentary, notably ‘Steve Duffy’s Sports Comment’, which after the team’s inception in 2013, would frequently highlight the HarbourCats.

This will be Hodgson’s second season as voice of the HarbourCats. In addition to leading the team’s broadcasts, Hodgson is the HarbourCats communications director as well as a baseball advisor. He is currently the Online Communications Coordinator for the West Coast League and a featured writer with the Canadian Baseball Network, founded and led by 2012 J.G. Taylor Spink Award recipient Bob Elliott.

Hodgson has contributed stories to the Toronto Blue Jays, and prior to Victoria, spent eight seasons as broadcast voice of the Okotoks Dawgs.

The HarbourCats have once again partnered with Go LIVE Broadcasts to provide coverage of all home games during the 2017 West Coast League season.

All 27 regular season games plus exhibition and possible home playoff games will be carried live on the team website, www.harbourcats.com. Broadcasts are produced by Go LIVE Broadcasts, led by Chris Jaycox, and provide a top quality production with four high definition cameras, offered on a pay-per-view basis.

An exciting new feature in 2017 is the introduction of HarbourCats in Five. Go LIVE Broadcasts will produce a five-minute highlight compilation following every home game, using clips from that day’s broadcast. It will be distributed daily through the HarbourCats website and social media platforms.

“Adding Steve Duffy to the broadcast team for the Shaw TV broadcasts is a real bonus for the HarbourCats, and he and Jonathan will form an entertaining duo,” said Managing Partner Jim Swanson.

“Few know the Victoria sports landscape like Steve, and fewer yet understand the background of collegiate baseball and the West Coast League like Jonathan, with his history. It will be a treat for our viewers, through Shaw and our streaming platform.”

The third member of the HarbourCats broadcast crew in 2017 is Mike Edwards. Edwards is a native of Victoria currently attending the Sports Media program and Ryerson University in Toronto.

Edwards will assist the HarbourCats media and broadcast teams in a variety of roles throughout the season. He will become familiar to broadcast viewers as leader of ‘Around the WCL’, a daily feature focusing on news and updates from the West Coast League.

Edwards will contribute to the team’s social media platforms throughout the season and lead gameday and in-game social media coverage. He will also provide assistance as needed in the production of HarbourCats in Five.

“I am extremely excited about the upcoming season of HarbourCats’ broadcasts,” says HarbourCats broadcaster Jonathan Hodgson. “I look forward to working with Steve Duffy, who will be a tremendous addition to our Shaw TV broadcasts. He is a true professional who brings unmatched knowledge and experience with the Victoria sports landscape that will take our broadcasts to the next level.”

“Mike Edwards is an ambitious, aspiring broadcaster who will complement our team very well, and help us in a variety of ways,” says Hodgson.

The first edition of HarbourCats broadcasts is June 5 when the Wenatchee AppleSox visit Victoria for Opening Night at Royal Athletic Park. First pitch flies at 6:35pm.

The final schedule for Shaw TV broadcasts will be announced in the near future.

Full-season packages for Go LIVE Broadcasts are available for $150 through http://www.golivebroadcasts.com. Games are also available on a single-game basis for $7.99 per game.

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 (Fees and taxes included) options are as follows—

CAMPBELL REAL ESTATE CLUB

$589.50

DIAMOND CLUB SEATS (Field Level Box Seats in 2016)

$589.50 (SOLD OUT)

MAIN GRANDSTAND (Section 10, covered)

$426.75

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

$405.75

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

$300.75

*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.

HOMEWARD BOUND APRIL OFFER

 Any purchase of a HarbourCats season ticket or 10-pack during the month of April will include a free bag of dog or cat food from Homeward Bound Pet Food Delivery.

10-packs include 10 undated vouchers to be redeemed for game tickets (pending availability) in any combination.

2017 SEATTLE 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.

Office hours through April:

MONDAY-FRIDAY – 10:00am – 4:00pm

SATURDAY-SUNDAY – Closed (Except by appointment)