Image credit: CFJC Today/Anthony Corea

By Marty Hastings

WEST COAST LEAGUE

NorthPaws’ co-owner Daley talks state of franchise, profitable season, openness to selling team

Aug 14, 2025 | 5:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops NorthPaws’ co-owner Norm Daley spoke to CFJC Today on Thursday (Aug. 14), offering his take on the state of the West Coast League baseball franchise.

He said the club was profitable in 2025, thanks in part to improvement in on-field performance, the sales and marketing departments, expense control and revenue generation.

“We’re not going to retire off our results, but it’s nice to make a couple bucks and be in the place that we are,” Daley said. “We made a little bit and that’s better than losing money.”

Attendance remains an area for improvement for the NorthPaws, who finished last in the league in the category, averaging about 450 fans per game.

SOUND OFF

SOUND OFF: Removing bathroom doors at Barriere Secondary increases safety concerns

20h ago

Looped In

LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: April 2, 2026

21h ago

SOUND OFF

SOUND OFF: Kamloops deserves the full story

Apr 01, 2026

Daley said the club had to rebuild trust with the fans following a 15-win season and last-place finish in 2024 and he is taking stock in improved attendance later in the 2025 schedule.

“At the end of the year, we were getting upwards of 700, 750, 850 at various games,” said Daley, whose club was averaging 376 fans per game as of July 10. “That’s what I’m looking at.”

The NorthPaws made significant off-field moves prior to the 2025 season, hiring a new head coach (Riley Jepson), operations manager (Kolby Lukinchuk) and marketing and operations co-ordinator (Marc Ashford).

“We’ve got some really nice, bright young people that have been helping us out this year,” Daley said. “We had a really strong year with sponsorship. We had some new people in that role helping us out. I’m really excited about where we’re going next year.”

Coaching stability has been fleeting for the NorthPaws but it seems likely Jepson will return in 2026.

“That’s my plan,” Jepson said. “I guess it just depends what they envision.”

Added Daley: “We’ve had some preliminary chats about things and obviously we want him back. Kamloops is a place where we like winners. He’s a winner, too. For him, fifth was OK, but he really wanted to make the playoffs and that’s obviously the goal for future seasons.”

Daley was asked about his future with the club and whether ownership will consider selling the team.

“I think everything’s always for sale,” Daley said. “If the right opportunity came along, we would consider it, but it’s got to be the right thing for the community. But there are other things that we’re looking at to make things bigger and better.”

The NorthPaws have reached the post-season once since joining the league in 2022, qualifying in their expansion year with a franchise-best 26 victories.

Kamloops posted a record of 25-29 this past season and placed fifth in the North Division.