A bomb was dropped yesterday in local sporting circles when Owen Sound Woodsmen President Randy Jackson confirmed the major sponsors of the club were ending their sponsorship agreement with the Senior Lacrosse Team.
For the last decade, Woodsmen concept coordinator Mark Berner and his construction company has been a major sponsor, along with the team’s General Manager.
Plus, Berner has been supported through the years by a variety of co-major sponsors including Montana’s Cookhouse Saloon, Carruthers-Nicol Insurance and in later years by van Dolder’s Home Team.
Jackson relates the news that Berner’s & van Dolders were looking to spread their sponsorship dollars elsewhere in the community was a surprise to him and the Woodsmen.
But make no mistake, this is a MAJOR announcement with ramifications both in the short term and in the long term.
If a major sponsor, or a pair of major co-sponsors are not in place by January 1st of 2011, Jackson states the Woodsmen will cease operations.
Furthermore, Jackson fully believes if Owen Sound folds for a season, there’s a tremendous likelihood the club will never return.
Since launching the Woodsmen program in 2001, Owen Sound has won the Clare Levack Trophy 7 times as the Ontario Champion and in 2008 & 2009 the Woodies were the President’s Cup Champions, taking the National Senior Championship.
This is a stunner no question and now there’s a 3 month period to see if new sponsors can be found to keep the Woodsmen franchise alive, or if a significant part of Owen Sound’s sporting fabric about to depart.
I’m Fred Wallace