Reports suggest that the sale of the Trois-Rivieres Lions will be announced this week. A new partnership with La Cage was announced.
Reports have been circulating since May that Deacon Sports and Entertainment (DSE) have been in negotiations to sell the Trois-Rivieres Lions. Steven Leal, the owner of Quebec-based company Fix Auto has been linked to the reports from the beginning. On Thursday, Le Nouvelliste reported that the sale of the Montreal Canadiens ECHL affiliate will be announced over the next couple of days to two groups, including Leal.
Sources informed Le Nouvelliste that the transfer of the lease from DSE to the new buyers should be approved by the city on Tuesday. The organization owes nearly $600,000 to the city from the 2022-23 season in rent and a percentage of sales. In addition to owning the team, DSE also manages all events at the Colisee Videotron.
Once the transfer is approved by the city of Trois-Rivieres, the final step to officialize the sale is to obtain the green light from the ECHL Board of Governors.
Partnership with La Cage
The Lions announced a new partnership La Cage Event Catering starting this season. The deal will have La Cage operating all the concession stands inside the Colisee Videotron.
La Cage, a division of Grandio Group, operates 36 restaurants across the province of Quebec including locations at the Bell Centre and Place Bell in Laval.
“We are delighted to collaborate with La Cage beginning with this season. This association directly correlates with our goal to highlight the team’s predominantly Quebecois identity and offering fans an outstanding entertainment experience and high-quality products,” said Etienne Fortier, Director of Operations, Events and Fan Experiences for the Lions via press release.
Training Camp Cuts
The Lions held a White versus Blue intrasquad scrimmage Friday at Colisee Videotron with team Blue coming up with a 6-4 victory.
Following the contest, the organization cut 11 players and reducing the training camp roster to 27 players. The Lions have until Wednesday, October 18th to submit the 21-player regular season roster to the league.
Andrew Nielsen decided to leave the team and continue his playing career in Europe. The veteran defenseman was drafted in the third round by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015 and has 258 American Hockey League games under his belts.
Trois-Rivieres season begins on Friday when the Maine Mariners (Boston Bruins) visit the Colisee Videotron and the Lions head on the road to face Maine on Saturday and the Worcester Railers (New York Islanders) on Sunday.
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