As the Victoria Royals prepare to enter their 13th season, they’ve shaken things up from the top down in order to inject some new energy into the game day staff, players and fans.
One of these changes has been announcing Victoria Buzz’s own Seanna Wainman as the Royals new in-game host; and she believes that one of the keys to winning games may lie in the energy their home crowd brings along with them.
“I think WHL hockey is the best because you’re watching players that are working towards something,” Wainman said.
“These guys know their future is on the line and they’re always playing really, really hard.”
“I think that the crowd’s energy can play to that — if the players can hear the crowd supporting them and cheering, if I can help get people going, that can make a difference.”
Wainman has been a season ticket holder and a die-hard Royals fan since their inception. Now, she is over the moon to be able to combine her passion for hockey and her background in media.
“It’s kind of like merging my two loves together, my love of media and my love of hockey at the same time,” Wainman explained.
“It’s cool, when I went to school, my dream was to be a sports broadcaster. So, in a roundabout way, this is kind of merging those two things together where I’m getting to work in the sports world and be in media as well, and use some of my broadcast schooling,” she added.
Fans can expect Wainman to bring them a plethora of entertainment and special programming during the period intermissions—she will be playing games with fans for prizes, and making sure fans know what the daily deals are.
The Victoria Royals previous in-game host, Pol Plastino, who is also a well-known on-air DJ at The Zone @ 91-3, may be joining Wainman for some of the Royal’s bigger games.
Plastino told Victoria Buzz when he heard the news, he immediately sought Wainman out to wish her luck and all the best.
Wainman isn’t the only new cast member of the Victoria Royals fan-experience squad — they also have a new in-house DJ to give the team and the crowd musical momentum throughout their home games.
DJ Pauly specializes in good vibes and his experience as a resident DJ at a local gym in Langford is the perfect prerequisite for making sure fans can stay hyped-up throughout the games.
“We are thrilled to have Seanna join us this season, bringing in her positivity and energy to complement all the great things planned for our fans this year!” says Joel Rinne, Director of Marketing and Community Engagement for the Victoria Royals.
“Our entire team has been working hard this summer to ensure that Royals fans will feel a lot of energy in the building come September 29th. Not only are we adding the great Seanna to our arena experience, but we’re also introducing a brand new resident DJ, “DJ Pauly” to pump up the excitement live on location each and every game.”
“The combination of Seanna and DJ Pauly will enable us to better engage with our fantastic fans making the experience in the bowl an interactive one!”
Fans can also expect a new 360 Fan Zone, where all the seats in the first handful of rows have been removed and replaced with standing tables for those who want a chance to mingle.
The standing section behind the net below section 106 will allow fans to enjoy a new way to experience Royals hockey, whilst having access to their section specific bar.
The Victoria Royals pre-season matches are being held on the road this year; however, the team will be playing a ‘by donation’ intra-squad match on Tuesday, September 5th.
The team will be playing ‘White vs. Blue’ as part of their training camp, but it will be the first and only game where fans can catch a sneak peak of the team before their season home opener on Friday, September 29th.
This is the first of their 34 games being played on home ice at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
Single-game tickets are on sale now, and you can get yours online.
“I am thrilled to congratulate Seanna Wainman on her new role as the in-game host of the Victoria Royals! Her dedication and talent have shone through, making her a perfect fit for this exciting position,” said Mike Kelly, founder of Victoria Buzz.
“Our company has always been about connecting with our community, and this unique collaboration with the Royals is a testament to that commitment. I look forward to seeing Seanna shine in this role, bringing even more energy and excitement to our beloved team. Go Royals!”
