The biggest moments of the Aberdeen Lynx’s ice hockey matches could soon be shown on a big screen – as sports chiefs look to capitalise on the club’s success.
Aberdeen’s top team skated to a second successive Scottish National League title last season, adding the Scottish Cup to their silverware too.
And now Sport Aberdeen is looking to double down on the success of the north-east’s second-largest spectator sport.
The city council’s arms-length leisure operator runs Aberdeen Linx Ice Arena at the beach, which holds – and often attracts – 1,100 on matchdays.
There are plans for a new ice rink down at Aberdeen beach as part of the multi-million-pound regeneration of the beachfront.
But council chiefs could soon put those proposals on the back burner as they’re well short of the required cash to build it.
‘I want fans to feel like they could be at an ice hockey match in North America’
As with other areas of Sport Aberdeen’s business, chief executive Keith Heslop is looking to invest to grow.
He’s teamed up with the ice hockey club to see how best to improve the matchday experience.
Mr Heslop tells The P&J: “The ice rink is a fantastic facility on a match day. But how can we turn our facility into more of an experience?
“We have been looking at the opportunity to invest in a big screen, which would go on the wall across from the stand.
“Maybe it could be interactive and able to track the puck.
“I want fans pitching up on a Saturday night for a match to feel like they could be at an arena in North America, albeit it may be on a smaller scale.
“What can we do with the hockey club to make that happen?”
Better spectator experience can help ensure Aberdeen Linx Ice Arena is ‘absolutely sustainable’
It’s more than an ambition to cash in or to flex high-tech muscle doing it.
Sport Aberdeen’s drive to build up the profile of ice hockey is key to very future of the ice rink itself.
The charity faces a yearly 10% cut to funding – though has had to cope with even bigger cuts, forcing the closure of the adjoining Beach Leisure Centre and also Bucksburn pool, in recent years.
Ever the accountant he was before he took the charity’s top job, Mr Heslop says: “It’s nice to have a successful ice hockey team in the city and we want to make sure that continues.
“It’s about a better spectator experience but also about attracting corporate guests along, which will help with the financial situation of the arena to make sure it’s absolutely sustainable going forward.”
The top level success of the Aberdeen Lynx is already drawing a lot of interest.
So much so, that Sport Aberdeen are looking at how they can reschedule the rink’s timetable to get even more people on the ice every week.
Mr Heslop adds: “I think many would be surprised at just how big ice skating and ice hockey are in Aberdeen.
“We have a very active learn to skate program, with a significant waiting list, and very popular public sessions.
“The rink is really popular, really busy and ice skating is a fantastic way to be active.”
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