Coventry Blaze Ice Hockey team have announced they are experiencing financial difficulties.
A statement to launch a Blaze Action Month has said that 'certain recent events, largely outside of our control, have put our club under immense and immediate pressure'
The club have plans in place to reorganise and restructure all areas of their business and have called upon their fans to back them.
The full statement is as follows:
"WE NEED YOUR HELP
10/12/2011
If you are reading this, the chances are that at some point over the last few years you have enjoyed a great night out watching the Coventry Blaze ice hockey team in action. Or maybe you have a child who has benefitted from the tremendous amount of work we do, as a club, in the local community. Or maybe you are involved with a group, school or club who we have helped with fundraising
Over the last twelve years, the Coventry Blaze have been a huge part of the community in which we operate. Literally hundreds of thousands of people have benefitted in some way from what we bring to the area. We have brought success to the area. We have flown the city’s flag internationally. We have provided some of the greatest nights of sporting entertainment that the city has seen. We have given a great deal of pleasure to hundreds of thousands of people.
Now we desperately need your help. The current economic climate has hit everyone hard and we are certainly no exception. We have plans in place to reorganise and restructure all areas of our business to enable us to continue to provide the same fantastic level of excitement and support to the city but certain recent events, largely outside of our control, have put our club under immense and immediate pressure.
There are certain steps that we will be bringing forward or additionally taking to help, but it is going to be very difficult for us to continue to operate unless we get some additional support from as many people as possible.
The next month is crucial to us. And we are now asking YOU to do something to help us through. We have never openly asked for help like this before but we need to now.
This coming Saturday we take on the Sheffield Steelers at the Skydome Arena at 7pm. The Blaze will be going flat out to get the win. We need you to be at that game. If you are a season ticket holder, this game is not included on your ticket. So PLEASE, don’t stay away from the game – buy a ticket and be there. If you are an occasional visitor who maybe can’t afford to come regularly, PLEASE find a way to be able to come to this game. If you are a business who can help – if you would like to book a box for the game – or a future game – or if you can do some advertising or sponsorship with us, PLEASE get in touch. If you are able to get a group of people from your company or club to come along, PLEASE give us a call.
BLAZE ACTION MONTH starts now. It has to. Our situation is not insurmountable. Far from it. But we need everyone behind us and doing everything they can. This is a serious situation and we want to be open with everyone about it. This is a genuine plea to everyone. Please don’t leave it to someone else and think all will be OK. We need YOU to get behind us and right now.
If you are coming to the game, buy a programme, a 50/50 draw ticket or a shirt raffle ticket. Or treat yourself to a drink in Crosby’s Bar before, during or after the game – all of this helps
If we pull together now, this club can be around for the next twelve years providing all the good things it does for the city. So please. Now is the time we need YOU. Do YOUR bit to help and we will get through. If we have a packed arena on Saturday, it's the first step to give us a fighting chance. If you can't come but still want to help, buy a standing ticket through the box office.
To book tickets, please call the box office on 02476 630693 (option 0), book online via the Buy Tickets link on www.coventryblaze.co.uk or call in person at the Skydome Arena Box office.
If you are a business who would like to help us, please call the Blaze office on 02476 223220
Thommo, Andy, Mike and James."