’Hounds ticket sales up this year

Canfield’s Steve Reynolds, director of ticket sales, spoke at Curbstone.

By GREG GULAS

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

BOARDMAN – As the longest tenured member of the Youngstown SteelHounds’ front office staff, Steve Reynolds is beaming at the team’s near perfect start.

The Canfield native and YSU graduate (he has a master’s in sports administration from Kent State University), who serves as the director of tickets and group sales, spoke at the weekly Curbstone Coaches meeting Monday at the Blue Wolf Banquet Center. He noted that the numbers in both of the aforementioned areas are currently up this year.

He also added that a bevy of promotions await the fans when the team, currently 7-0-1, returns to the Chevrolet Centre on November 23 to begin the home portion of their schedule.

“Each year we have been able to increase our numbers in the tickets and group sales area, and while our game day walk-up numbers are good we’re always looking for new ways attract more fans the day of a game,” Reynolds said.

Originally a sales intern at the venue who was also responsible for selling club seats, he was hired by the team well before the SteelHounds’ logo was even unveiled.

Game day promotions have been a fan favorite during the team’s first two seasons, and those attending games this year can expect much of the same.

Some of the more popular promotions he has finalized this year include Youth Jersey Giveaway Night (Dec. 14), a postgame Specialty Jersey Auction (Jan. 19), School Day (a special 10:35 a.m. start against the Texas Brahmas on Feb. 5), Green Ice for St. Patrick’s Day with a special postgame player shirt auction (Mar, 15) and two Team Player Card Set nights (Dec. 28 and Mar. 14).

Getting out of the gates on such a positive note is even more impressive, given the fact that all of the SteelHounds’ games thus far have been played on the road.

They will have played their first 14 contests away from home before a two-game series against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (Nov. 23-24) at home, taking to the road once again for five more games.

In all, 19 of their first 21 contests will take place away from home. The upside, however, is that 13 of their next 17 contests are at the Chevy Centre.

“Our travel schedule is the most extensive of any team in the league. In fact, we will log over 40,000 miles this year,” noted Jim Brylewksi, the newly named assistant general manager who accompanied Reynolds to the meeting.

“We had hoped for and would have considered a .500 road trip very successful. Having already accomplished that, such a fast start has placed us in contention right out of the chute.”

Brylewski also had high praise for goaltender and Lakewood native Andy Franck.

“We have a very balanced scoring attack; one in which everyone seems to be contributing right now. A big addition for us in the off-season was the signing of [Andy] Franck. He’s logged every minute of every game, is number one in wins and barely gives up two goals a game. His 220 saves is third best overall as well.

“With only two players on the negative side of the plus/minus ledger, you can understand our excitement thus far,” he added.

The SteelHounds next travel to Austin, Texas, to meet the Ice Bats on Friday, the Laredo Bucks on Saturday and the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees on Sunday afternoon.

Next week, former Brooklyn Dodger standout George “Shotgun” Shuba will be the guest speaker.