Interview with Darren Sawyer

Partial Transcript: Well, I didn't bring any artifacts or anything... but my name is Darren Sawyer, I'm the producer for OHL Tonight with the Niagara IceDog games...

Segment Synopsis: Darren shares that he is the producer for OHL Tonight and has produced every televised Niagara IceDogs game since the franchise relocated to St. Catharines. He recalls the first time he met the former Niagara IceDogs owner Bill Burke the day the franchise moved into the Garden City Arena as they were backing in the U-haul trucks. He discusses the challenges of broadcasting Niagara IceDogs games in the Garden City Arena, including retrofitting equipment to fit into small spaces the Garden City Arena was never built to accommodate. Darren then recalls that the crowds at Niagara IceDogs games were so loud he could hear them outside the arena in the broadcast truck and mentions how how the community rallied behind the Niagara IceDogs.

Keywords: Atmosphere; Bill Burke; Hockey -- Fan; IceDogs; OHL Tonight

Subjects: Broadcasting/Media; Junior A Hockey; OHL Hockey

Partial Transcript: We had uh, there was a night... I can't remember the date specifically. There was a night when the lights went out in the middle of the game.

Segment Synopsis: Darren shares a memory of when a transformer blew and the lights went out in the Garden City Arena in the middle of a Niagara IceDogs game, leaving the arena almost pitch black. There was a reset button in the electrical room that needed to be pressed by a unionized electrician, which the city of St. Catharines did not have on call that night so an electrician was brought in from Toronto.

Keywords: Electricity; Hockey -- Fan; Power failure

Subjects: Junior A Hockey; OHL Hockey

Partial Transcript: For a long time, we knew this was coming to an end, we were moving to the Meridian Centre...

Segment Synopsis: Darren discusses his final Niagara IceDogs broadcast at the Garden City Arena before they moved to the Meridian Centre and shares that he was surprised at how emotional he was. He then recalls one game night where they almost had to cancel the Niagara IceDogs game half an hour before puck drop due to a chloroform leak in the Garden City Arena.

Keywords: Community; Hockey -- Fan; Meridian Centre

Subjects: Junior A Hockey; OHL Hockey