A $40,000 profit and a board with 15 directors - that's how the Humboldt Broncos ended last season and began this one. The Humboldt Broncos had "an exciting year" in 2011-12, reported board president Bob Johnston at the annual general meeting held October 10 at the Humboldt Uniplex. On the ice, the team won their way to the RBC Cup at home, claiming the SJHL championship and ANAVET Cup titles, along with four wins in the round robin of the tournament before losing the RBC Cup semifinal to end their season. Off the ice, the Broncos finished the year with a small profit made, and implemented some significant changes to their operation. They purchased an electronic game ticketing system, as well as an electronic 50-50 ticket system, both of which had some bugs to work out last year. Now, Johnston reported, the electronic game tickets system is fully operational and a link will go on their website shortly which will allow fans to purchase and print their own tickets at home. The 50-50 system still has some glitches that they are working through, Johnston noted, but they have seen the impact of the new system on their bottom line - revenue from 50-50 ticket sales increased by 50 per cent in the regular season and doubled in the playoffs."It's paid for itself in the first year alone," Johnston said. This season, there's a lot of new staff in place with the Broncos.Luke Strueby, a former Broncos player, has been hired as the assistant coach and marketing director, and Chad Ellison has come on as the new volunteer assistant coach, replacing Tim Klimosko and Murray Brookbank who stepped down after last season. Hayley Hill is the new trainer, replacing Brett McCorkell who has moved on from the Broncos. The office position for the Broncos has been changed, Johnston reported. They have split the position into a daytime office management position, held by Noreen Strueby, and a game-night position, held by Linda Stumborg. Season ticket prices went up a little to cover the cost of printing tickets with the new system, Johnston noted, but their prices are still in the middle of the road in the SJHL. The cost of running the Broncos goes up every year, he added. It costs $650,000 just for the regular season and to cover summer expenses, Johnston said. With actual game revenues at about $250,000, the fundraising done by the Broncos board of directors subsidizes each season ticket by 58 per cent. "It's important work we do to keep ticket prices affordable," he said. The hockey season has been shortened this year, from 58 games to 54. Each team lost one home and one away game, Johnston reported, as well as two at the SJHL Showcase, which has been cancelled for this season. Going into this season, the coaching staff headed by Dean Brockman, and the scouts "worked hard to put another competitive team together," Johnston said. That team is already finding its groove as they play more hockey, he noted. Financially, the 2011-12 season left the Broncos in pretty good shape, reported board member Lance Unger. In total, operating expenses ran $756,423 last season, up from $557,022 the season before. Revenue from season ticket sales was up as well, totalling $162,047, and regular and playoff gate, program and lounge receipts totalled $212,319, up from $35,000 made the season before. With 50-50 revenue at $61,515, over doubling the amount of $22,456 raised by 50-50 sales last year, that equals a total of $435,881 in game revenue last season - far more than the $188,325 made the season before. The spring lotto made $129,040, which is about $500 less than 2011, and with grants and donations, including a $28,540 loan from the RBC Cup committee to purchase the 50-50 system, equalled a total revenue of $273,794 from other sources. That left the Broncos with a surplus of $40,470 for this season - far better than the $32,844 deficit they found themselves in last year. At the end of the meeting, the Broncos also found themselves swimming in board members - 15 to be exact. The board had been down to seven directors, with the terms of three expiring this year. Two of those directors - Lambert Stumborg and Marie Durand - agreed to let their names stand for another term.Nominations were then opened for new directors, and a motion was passed to allow the number of directors to expand from 12 to 15 for this season. Returning to the board are Bob Johnston, Lance Unger, Clayton Armstrong, Russell Gehlen, Lambert Stumborg and Marie Durand. New members of the board include Robyn Moore, Devin Cannon, Jamie Brockman, Matthew Berlinic, Lorelle Holowaty, Jocelyn Moe, Shawn Wempe, Darrell Wickenhauser and Dan Torwalt.
