Page 42 - BusinessWest Sept. 29, 2021

Team President Nate Costa (back row, fourth from right) with the front-office staff
Sports & Leisure
Setting Some New Goals
Springfield Thunderbirds Rebound from Lost Season with Momentum
For team President Nate Costa and Springfield Thunderbirds ownership, it has been a frustrating year and a half — but not a quiet one, even with the cancellation of the 2020-21 season. Indeed, the organization has been busy staying connected to the community through a host of programs and providing value to its supporters, while preparing for a 2021-22 season of great promise — season-ticket sales remain high — but also great uncertainty. It’s a season, Costa said, that not only the team, but its city desperately needs.
By Joseph Bednar
F
or Nate Costa, launching a hockey season after skipping the previous one might feel like start- ing from square one, but it isn’t, really. Because he was at the real square one, tasked by the
Springfield Thunderbirds’ ownership group with fielding a team just four months after luring it from Maine to Western Mass.
“This is a completely different challenge because at least then you didn’t have COVID surrounding you,” he said. “But the processes are very similar.”
To be sure, while no hockey was played in Springfield dur- ing the 2020-21 season, ‘skipping’ may not be the right word. Because keeping the franchise relevant and in the public eye was a daily challenge.
“Unfortunately, we had to make some really hard decisions last year in terms of staffing,” said Costa, the team’s presi-
42 SEPTEMBER 29, 2021
SPORTS & LEISURE
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