Hi, this is Fred Wallace with ” Off the Wire ” proudly sponsored by Pete’s Auto Body.
Pete’s Auto Body; because we care about our community……
The official announcement of Major Lacrosse coming to Owen Sound was made last week….for the 2nd time.
The first time was in mid-November when Brampton Excelsiors owner Joe Norton, who also owns and operates the Owen Sound Bug Juice Senior NorthStars, received approval from the Major Series & the Board of Governors to shift the base of operations to Owen Sound.
However, a way-too-late effort to maintain possession of an historic, but vastly under supported, sports franchise in Brampton managed to delay the inevitable.
Joe Norton states he honestly gave Brampton his best shot to be a successful site for Major Lacrosse over 3 years. But it was obvious to him, early and often, that the framework around the club and the support at every level required wasn’t sufficient.
The Excelsiors story is quite similar to the tales of the now departed Brampton Battalion & Brampton Beast hockey clubs.
Frustrated by the landscape existing in Brampton, Joe Norton’s ears perked up when respected and influential lacrosse people suggested from a lacrosse standpoint Owen Sound had everything Brampton lacked.
So Norton made an arrangement to purchase the Senior NorthStars for 2019 and was highly impressed by the operational structure along with the level of support from both fans and sponsors and the whispers persisted about a pending shuffle of his Major team from Brampton to Owen Sound.
Those whisper became a reality in November.
Curiously, the reality was only confirmed last week.
But that, like the Excelsiors, are history and a new era for a Major Lacrosse franchise in Owen Sound is technically underway.
For Pete’s Auto Body I’m Fred Wallace