CityView Magazine

26 | September/October 2017 䘀䤀嘀䔀匀吀䄀刀ⴀ䔀一吀䔀刀吀䄀䤀一䴀䔀一吀⸀䌀伀䴀 㤀㄀　ⴀ㌀㈀㌀ⴀ㈀㐀　㤀 their discretionary income on. Norris said, "We want to make it easier for them to come and spend it at the Crown Coliseum." He cites the value of coming to a game. "ey've got to feel like they got more than what they paid for." Paying Homage e word "community" came up a lot in our talk, which isn't a surprise when the team's new name proudly, pointedly salutes Fort Bragg. Aer growing up in Michigan, Norris served at Bragg for four years—"one of the greatest experiences of my life," he enthused—and stayed in the city for nearly 20. He commended the Army base as "the city's cornerstone" and the first thing he associates with Fayetteville. Back when he first mulled purchasing the team, he knew rechristening the FireAntz would be his first move. "Looking at what these kids do when they go to fight for our country—and they defend our freedoms and democracy all over the world— I feel like it's the least I could do," he said. "e Fayetteville Marksmen—it pays homage to our city and the most unbelievable elite fighting soldiers anywhere on the planet. ey reside here in our community. ose are our fans as well." It's interesting to note that (almost on the eerie side of things), onetime coach John Marks' men did win the FireAntz's sole SPHL championship in 2007. On the fuzzier side, the team's new fox mascot represents not only toughness, but a cunning sensibility, qualities which are not only for hockey players, but also teaching valuable lessons to the younger generations in our community. Welcome to the Crown e Crown Coliseum, celebrating its 20th birthday this year, can welcome nearly 10,000 fans, far above the average minor league hockey facility. at's a pro and a con: the Marksmen have space to pack it out, but sparse attendance makes it tricky to foster that sports-arena atmosphere. Midweek games will be touch-and-go. On Fridays and Saturdays, Norris aims to draw 7,500 or even 9,000-plus. One of Fayetteville's hockey bona fides, he says, is that nine out of the ten biggest crowds in SPHL history have been at the Crown. "We have one of the best venues in the southeastern United States," Norris said. "I will argue that to the death with anybody: we have one of the finest facilities, and absolutely the best venue staff running. ese guys are rockstars, man. ey really are." Norris has been delighted to find that the Southern Professional Hockey League, founded in 2004 and boasting ten teams from as many states, has an uncommonly familial atmosphere. "We all look out for each other, we all want each other to succeed. We don't directly compete with each other in any kind of way except for on the ice," he said. "We consider ourselves business partners. e success or failure of the Fayetteville franchise reflects on every other

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