When is The Cougars Store open? The Cougars Store is open to the public Monday-Friday during regular office hours (9:00am-4:30pm). On game days fans can visit The Cougars Store as soon as the front doors open until the end of the second intermission.
How can I pay for purchases in The Cougars Store? The Cougars Store accepts cash, Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Interac is not accepted in The Cougars Store, however; cash back is available from the concession in Section A.
When do the doors open on game nights? Doors open 45 minutes before face-off unless otherwise advertised.
How long are your games usually? Games usually run for approximately 2 ½ hours.
How do I get a PA announcement played during a game? Birthday packages are available to purchase at the Cougars office or by phoning 250-561-0783 during regular office hours. Birthday packages range from a simple PA announcement to in-stand visits including a team-signed card and autographed t-shirt. Please note that birthday packages must be confirmed and paid for at least 48 hours before the game.
How can I be chosen to participate in a promotion/contest during a Cougars game? Our contestants are either pre-selected or chosen randomly throughout the game. Watch for our promotions team (in the white Cougars jackets) or our emcee, who are always in-stand looking for our next contestant.
Can I purchase a message on the score clock? Yes. Contact the Cougars office at 250-561-0783 for details.
Do you rent the Cougars bus? From time to time, based on availability, our bus is available for rent. Please contact brandi@pgcougars.com if you are interested in renting the bus for your next road trip.
Are cameras allowed at the games? Video cameras and professional stop-motion cameras are not permitted without obtaining an official Cougars media pass. Personal stop-motion cameras are permitted, although any pictures you take may not be sold or distributed for profit. After each game we post photos on our website at www.pgcougars.com. From our website, you can email our photographer and for a minimal fee, you can purchase our photos directly from him.
Can the Cougars donate a prize for my special event or fundraiser? We require a written donation request be submitted to Brandi Brodsky, Cougars Vice President. Please include a description of your organization and event, along with a return address, phone number and date of your event. We ask that you give at least six week’s notice prior to your event. Due to the volume of donation requests, we are unable to respond favorably to each one, however; each one will be reviewed and responded to if we are able to make a donation. You can send your donation requests by one of the following three methods:
1) By Mail to: #102-2187 Ospika Blvd. South, Prince George BC, V2N 6Z12.
2) By Fax to: 250-561-07433.
3) By E-mail to: info@pgcougars.com.
Can I sell items on the concourse as a fundraiser at your games? No. We do not allow non-profit organizations to sell items at our games as this might interfere with the sales of 50/50 tickets which raise money for the Prince George Minor Hockey Association and our Prince George Cougars 50/50 Society. The Cougars 50/50 Society funds monetary donations to the community, along with our scholarship.
Can my team skate in the intermission game? This opportunity is usually reserved for member teams of the Prince George Minor Hockey Association and the PGMHA determines which teams will participate. However, if your ringette or hockey team would like to participate in an intermission game, please contact Shamir at the Cougars office at 250-561-0783. If there are available intermissions, we may be able to accommodate you.
Where are Cougars games broadcast? Cougars regular season and playoff games can be heard on 99.3 The Drive. All games can also be viewed via WHL WebTV on www.whl.ca. Home game highlights are available on the Cougars website at www.pgcougars.com within four hours of the game ending.
Where does the team practice? Can the public attend? Generally the Cougars practice at CN Centre, although this varies when CN Centre is hosting concerts or other events. Most practices at CN Centre are open to the public. For information on practice times, please phone the Cougars office at 250-561-0783.
Is there a contact for items that are lost at the CN Centre during Cougars games? Items found on game nights are taken directly to the CN Centre Administration Office. Please contact the CN Centre Administration Office at 250-561-7777 for more information.
Why do the Cougars always schedule back to back games against the same teams? Any of our games that are played outside BC are scheduled by the League. We schedule our remaining games ourselves at a League meeting held each July. Our schedule is always a compromise. If we want other teams to cooperate and allow us to string a number of games together for a road trip, then we must extend the same courtesy to them by allowing them to come up to PG and play two games in a row.
With crowds down in the numbers, why won’t the Cougars give out free tickets to school students? We have a number of community and school-based ticketing programs. In these programs, sponsors such as CN and the Prince George Free Press provide us with funds that allow us to invite groups of students to our games, for no charge, as the sponsor pays for the tickets. It is important to keep in mind that we have contracts in place with both the City of PG and Ticketmaster. These agreements limit the number of tickets that we can give away each game. It is important, therefore, that we continue to find generous sponsors to support our ongoing community ticketing programs.
Who chooses what food is offered at CN Centre? Currently, the building has a contract with a food services company by the name of Eurest. As the Cougars do not receive any money from food and beverage sales, we have very little say in how they operate, the menu items they offer, or the price. We have found in the past that Eurest is very happy to cooperate with our fans. If there is something you would like them to consider selling, or have any questions or comments, feel free to email our Vice President at brandi@pgcougars.com and she will pass your request on to the appropriate person.
Why won’t the Cougars fix taps that run on, or make sure all the soap and paper towel dispensers are full in the CN Centre washrooms? The CN Centre is owned by the City of PG. We lease it out on our game nights, but the City is still responsible for maintenance. If you are at one of our games, and see a problem, find one of our volunteers in either a black or blue coat and they will be able to radio the City’s crew to get the problem fixed. We also fill out CN Centre Repair Reports after each game, and provide the information to the City. If you see anything that needs their attention, let us know and we’ll pass on your concern.
Why won’t the Cougars fly the team to distant cities, particularly during the playoffs? There is no doubt that having a WHL team in PG leaves us with some challenges with respect to travel. We have purchased a very comfortable bus that helps make the travel a little easier on the boys. It’s equipped with a washroom, bunk beds, and a TV/DVD system. There are also league regulations when it comes to flying to a game. The Commissioner of the WHL needs to approve it, but it will likely NOT be allowed during playoffs.
My husband and I are retired and love attending the games, but we don’t like the music. Who chooses the music and why is it so loud? Music selection and volume are always a big topic for discussion in almost every rink in the WHL.At the beginning of the season, we allow the players and coaches to pick the songs that they would like played for warm up, and what they would like us to play when they score. Outside of that, we do our best to accommodate our fans with a variety of music choices. In 2009, we upgraded to a newer version of the Sound Ops System. Each year, we pay a licensing fee that allows us to play the music during our games.
It is very challenging to choose music, and a volume level that will satisfy 100% of our diverse group of fans. For many years, we have had a professional DJ running our music. He does a fantastic job of reading the crowd, and playing appropriate music to suit each game. This is not an easy task, but we are constantly striving to maintain a standard that all our fans can enjoy.
Volume is another hot topic. We want people to enjoy themselves, and the music we play should add to that experience. We strive to maintain a level that is suitable for all our fans. The number of people in the building greatly affects the sound. More bodies in the building absorb the sound and so that affects the volume level from game to game as well.
