Organization of the Year

The season was 1998-99 - the first of what would be 10 unforgettable years of Condors hockey. After a memorable Inaugural Season, the Condors efforts were rewarded by the West Coast Hockey League, who named the club the Organization of the Year on April 8, 1999.

As the anchor tenant in the brand-new Centennial Garden, the Condors established new standards for professional sports in the city of Bakersfield. Their average of 4,622 fans per game that season was a 147% increase upon the previous season - the last campaign for the Bakersfield Fog - and the highest ever for a professional franchise in the city. It was also obvious that the direction of the new hockey team in town was going to be one of a community partner, and many of the programs that started during that season are alive and well a decade later.

"When I think back about our first year, I think about the people that worked here and the fans that made it all happen," said President Matthew Riley. "Without their efforts in building the foundation, Condorstown wouldn't be what it is today. I also think about all the good times I've had on a personal level, and all the memories we've helped create, because it's not about the destination, but the journey."

A few of the highlights from that magical first season included a Bakersfield professional sports record attendance of 7,954 fans for their largest crowd of the season. In addition, the Condors logo was named professional hockey's best and the Condors held the WCHL's first online video broadcast.