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"I t's going phenomenal," says Dylan Kular, president of the Langley-based Vancouver Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. Sure, things haven't been exactly perfect on the court, where the Bandits were 5–10 in mid-July. But when it comes to box-office performance, the team was second in average attendance, starting with a home opener that drew more than 4,500 fans to the Langley Events Cen- tre. "Ticket numbers have gone up 40 per- cent and people are super engaged with the games. It's very nice to see," he says. As an inaugural franchise of the CEBL, this is the Bandits' (formerly called Fraser Valley, now Vancouver) fifth season in the league. It's also the squad's first year under new ownership after mining entrepreneur Bryan Slusarchuk and real estate developer Kevin Dhaliwal bought the team last year. The Bandits became the second team in league history to be purchased privately. The owners, heavily involved in the bas- ketball community in the Fraser Valley, have put an emphasis on both the fan experience and the ticket prices at games. "The moment you park outside the venue, you're getting that experience," VANCOUVER BANDITS (CEBL) SEPTEMBER 2023 BCBUSINESS.CA 65 ON ICE We talked to some of last year's Vancouver Canucks season ticket holders on whether or not they planned to renew with the NHL squad VALLEY BOYS The Vancouver Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League have a new name, new owners and an uptick in ticket sales says Kular. "Buffets, player warmups, face- painting, arcades, a flea market, DJs play- ing, post-game autographs and shooting on the court." Kular notes that while the club still has premium pricing for courtside seats and upper deck suites, the owners wanted to create entry level pricing so young families, particularly those hit hard by COVID, could come out to games. "The $15 ticket has been one of our most popular tickets and that's part of why we've seen the ticket increases," he says. Much of what the Bandits do revolves around building community around the bas- ketball scene in the Lower Mainland. That's one of the main reasons the owners were drawn to the cause. "They were impressed by what they do in community and wanted to find a way to enhance that and add fuel to the fire," says Kular, citing the team's Indig- enous Basketball Collective, Kids Club and BC Basketball Festival, among other initia- tives. "I would argue that we're one of the most engaged pro sports franchises at the grassroots level." £ Former G-League (the NBA's farm system) player Giorgi Bezhanishvili (centre) brings in quite the crowd at Bandits games. The Georgian attracts some 30 or 40 of his fellow expats for every match. "We had 36 at a recent game," says Bandits president Dylan Kular. "They come with families, friends, they're all waving the Georgia flag." Bezhanishvili, a forward, is in the top three on the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals. P L AY E R TO WAT C H What made you want to renew this year? Never considered not renewing. What are your expecta- tions for the team this year? To push for a playoff spot. Our division is packed with dominant teams so I do think that's a huge problem. Vegas, Colorado, Edmonton and the Kings are all pretty cemented as playoff teams, so who can we squeeze out? It will take a very successful season to make the playoffs. What's the best part about going to games? Three things that are better live than watching a game at home: the buzz in the building before overtime starts, seeing a live penalty shot and high-fiving strangers in your section. What are your thoughts on the crowds at games? Consistent. Canucks fans buy tickets. The sell-out streak went for years and, although those days are gone for now, I feel like they're just around the corner. What most excites you about the Canucks this upcoming year? We have a genuine top-10 forward talent in [Elias] Pettersson and also on D with [Quinn] Hughes. [Thatcher] Demko is a premium goaltender as well. All three of those players are still on an upward trajectory. Not to mention that Fin might be a top-3 mascot, but I'm definitely a bit biased. BRAD T. AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY 20-YEAR HOLDER, RENEWED