Look for the Union Label
Saint John Union manager of business and basketball operations Randy Loatman has faith in his hometown as the team prepares for the inaugural season of the Eastern Canadian Basketball League. Loatman says the Union and the league have created a sustainable way of doing business, which revolves heavily around community connections.
“This is brand new with a new approach,” Loatman says. “We will make our players visible in the community, which stretches around Saint John from St. Stephen all the way to Sussex. “We want to work with local organizations that will benefit the region and help us grow basketball. We want to be partners with businesses, organizations and the basketball fans, who will support us.”
Training camps will begin in early to mid-March with games scheduled to start late in the month. Each of the six teams will play a 26-game regular season. Loatman, who has previously worked in various roles with National Basketball League of Canada franchises in Saint John and currently coaches at Saint John High School, likes the league’s commitment to Maritime players.
“There are going to be Maritime players on every roster,” he says. When young players in high school or university see a professional league, they will have a high-quality league they can aspire to someday.”
The Union has several representatives selling corporate sponsorships. Season tickets are available at the TD Station, where all home games will be played.
Meanwhile, league president Tim Kendrick says, with regret, that the Summerside Slam will not operate this season and their status will be reviewed in the future. Other cities in the Maritimes are also being looked at for expansion in Year 2.
Papa Johns
In 1984, Papa Johns Pizza started in the small town of Jeffersonville, Indiana, and its popularity has spread all the way to Atlantic Canada. Today, Papa Johns boasts over 3,600 restaurants and can be found in more than 35 international markets outside of the USA. In Atlantic Canada, we opened our first Papa Johns franchise in Moncton, operating under the name of PJ Atlantic Restaurants Ltd. in 2009.
This was the first of many Papa Johns restaurants to be opening over the next few years to serve the Maritime provinces. We now have a dozen restaurants in the following areas:
639 Mountain Rd., Moncton
555 Dieppe Blvd., Dieppe
20 Plaza Ave., Saint John
528 Smythe St., Fredericton
133 McAllister Dr. Saint John
19 Babineau Ave., Charlottetown
1909 Mountain Rd., Moncton
269 Main St., Fredericton
94 Hampton Rd., Rothesay
540 Pinewood Rd., Riverview
961 Bedford Highway, Bedford
644 Portland St., Dartmouth
We believe in our brand’s heritage and commitment to quality. We believe that better ingredients really do make a better pizza.