Rebuild year hits Mustangs' finances

It was a rebuild year for the Melfort Mustangs last season – something that showed in their financial statements.

Revenues in the 2016-17 season were slightly more than $455,000, compared to slightly more than $734,000 the previous season. Expenses were less than $517,000, compared to less than $726,000 the season before. The team had a deficit of $61,500.

“It’s certainly a step back, in huge part because of game day revenues,” said Sean Isberg, the team’s outgoing president. “Obviously our crowd is down and [there was] no playoffs. After two years of going to the finals and making good money from the playoffs, it was expected. Hopefully this year they can get back to the finals again and make some good money.”

Playoffs produced $9,543 in revenue in 2016-17, compared to around $139,000 in 2016-15. Playoff expenses were $6,656, compared to $81,000.

Fundraising revenue, which was $87,000, was down by almost $25,000, something Isberg attributed to burnout from the team’s volunteer board. With a whole bunch of new blood added to the board, the president predicted those numbers would climb back up.

Both Isberg and Trevor Blevins, the team’s head coach, believe the Mustangs will field a strong team this year.

“We think we’re in a team that can compete right from the get-go,” Blevins said. “It’s going to be important to come out of the gate with a strong start.”

The coach said a lot of strong players were returning on both the offensive and defensive sides, and key positions are starting to be filled by players like former Tisdale Trojan Nolan Kadachuk, Tyson Meyers from Melfort and Lochlan Morrison from Prince Albert.

There are 90 confirmed for the team’s camp starting Sept. 1, with Blevins hoping for 120 by the time it starts.

“We’re pretty excited about the recruiting class,” he said. “There’s not a lot of spots available but we’re wanting to be competitive and whether it’s veteran players or new players coming in, you want them to be fighting for their spots as long as possible.”

What’s also exciting for the Mustangs this year is they’ll face their Number 1 rival, the Nipawin Hawks, in the first game of the 2017-18 season.

“[It’ll] start the fireworks right away. There’s nothing better. Doug and I have coached against each other for years. There’s nothing better than playing Nipawin 10 times a year. Those are the games everyone gets up for.”

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