Royals’ Home Gets Selected as One of North America’s Best for Third Consecutive Year

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, today announced that the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania, the Royals’ home facility, was selected as the third best minor league professional sports venue in North America in the poll conducted for the MLN Vote4TheBest 2009 Awards. The survey was administered by MLN Sports, which plans to publish the full results in the current issue of its digital magazine, SZ (www.mlnsportszone.com). In 2007, the Sovereign Center was selected as the eighth best minor pro venue in North America, and last year the Royals’ home facility came in fourth in the poll.

“We’re excited to be recognized for the third consecutive year as one of North America’s best minor pro venues. We’re particularly pleased to have inched up in the poll this season, and we look forward to continuing our effort to improve to number one,” said Zane Collings, the General Manager of the Sovereign Center. “The Royals and the Sovereign Center staff work extremely hard to provide the best in service and enjoyment for those who visit our facility.”

Other SMG-managed venues in the poll’s top ten, include the Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, California home to the Bakersfield Condors; The Arena at Gwinnett Center in Gwinnett, Georgia, home to the Gwinnett Gladiators; and the Alaska Aces’ Sullivan Arena in Anchorage, Alaska.

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