Halifax Hurricanes continue to win games but not fans

The Halifax Hurricanes won again Thursday night and, after the first two weeks of the National Basketball League of Canada season, the team is in first place.

After beating the Island Storm 100 to 95, the Hurricanes now have a six to one record.  

That doesn't mean fans are flocking to see the games.

Most of the 11,000 seats at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax are empty when the Hurricanes play.

The new team has been averaging just over 1,000 fans per home game, the team's general manager of basketball operations said Thursday.

"We know this is a work in progress. This is not a fly by night business," Andre Levingston said.

"This is going to take a lot of hard work and effort — and that's something we're prepared to do."

'People will come out in support'

Levingston says he hopes his team can gain more fans simply by continuing to win games.

So far this season the team has played an entertaining brand of basketball with lots of offence and last minute heroics.

"We just have to come out here and play hard for the fans that do show up here," point guard Cliff Clinkscales said.

"Hopefully if we keep winning and playing the right way, people will come out in support."

New owners adapting to post-bankruptcy team

Clinkscales played last season with the Halifax Rainmen, a team that forfeited game seven of the NBL final. The team failed to show up for the game after a controversial brawl on the morning of the deciding contest.

The Rainmen franchise folded shortly after that. Levingston, who owned that team, filed for bankruptcy.

The new Hurricanes franchise rolled out in September.

Instead of Levingston being the sole owner as he was in the past, the team now has an investor group of 25 people. 

One of the knocks against the Rainmen franchise was the constant tinkering with the player roster. That made it hard for fans to follow the team because often players were being shipped out or signing with other teams, after playing only a few games.  

That shouldn't happen as much this season, Levingston said. 

The investor group and new staff are trying to do better, said Mike Brien, the team's chief executive officer.

"It's going to take us a while to figure things out," Brien said. 

"None of us are experienced in this business so we're working hard at that and I think every game we're getting a little bit better at it."