FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 23, 2019

K-WINGS ANNOUNCE WINNER OF FAN-DESIGNED JERSEY CONTEST

Affiliation-themed jersey designed by Kurt Gorecki will be worn in a game Dec. 28 after receiving over 40 percent of the fan vote.

KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, announced the winner of the team’s third annual fan-designed jersey Friday. Receiving just over 40 percent of a weeklong fan vote, a jersey designed by Kurt Gorecki was chosen as the winner. The jersey will be worn by the K-Wings on December 28, 2019, in a game against the Fort Wayne Komets.

Interested parties were encouraged to submit a jersey/sock design related to the K-Wings’ affiliation with the Vancouver Canucks and/or Utica Comets. These jerseys will be worn during game action and then auctioned off at the conclusion of the contest, with the proceeds benefiting the Salvation Army.

“I’m beyond stoked to be able to come back out to Kalamazoo and be a part of the whole experience,” said Gorecki. “I heard the auction raised a lot of money for charity the last two years. I just like doing this as a hobby, so I entered with the notion that I would just throw my name into the hat again. It’s really cool to be a part of this event, especially to help out the cause.”

The prize for winning this year’s contest includes tickets to the Dec. 28 game, a K-Wings Fan Experience, and the opportunity to be the Puck Dropper of the Game. Gorecki also will receive a personalized specialty jersey that night with a custom name and number.

“I wanted to incorporate my favorite Vancouver logo and thought ‘how could I make this different’,” said Gorecki. “I wanted to give it a Kalamazoo flavor, so I thought it would be cool to add the flag to the background to honor the U.S. part of the affiliation, while adding in elements from Vancouver’s and Utica’s logo.”

The Kalamazoo Wings received a team-record 36 jersey designs from around North America and narrowed the field down to 10 finalists after a difficult selection process. Nearly 7,000 ballots were submitted during the voting period, another team record, with Gorecki’s design winning with just under 2,800 votes.A full 2019-20 promotional schedule will be revealed next week, and single-game tickets will go on sale early in September.

The K-Wings’ 46th Home Opener is Saturday, Oct. 19 against the Cincinnati Cyclones at 7:00 p.m. at the Wings Event Center, following Fan Fest leading up to the game. Tickets, starting at just $10 are available now: Home Opener Tickets.

The best games. The best seats. The best eats. Order your 5-pack today and save nearly 45% off retail value. 5-packs can be purchased at https://kwings.com/en/tickets.

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