I thought Lewiston was supposed to be the “Hockey Town of Maine.” Growing up here, I believed that, and living here I still want to believe that.

But it’s getting tougher.

People continue to point to the banners at the Colisee. St. Dom’s, with 24 state titles, and Lewiston, with 20, are the two winningest high school hockey teams in Maine, and are among the top 10 in New England. But in recent years, even those two programs have stalled. If neither school wins the state title this winter, the four-year drought will be the second-longest the schools have gone without a championship since the early 1970s when Waterville ran off five straight.

At the youth levels, participation is down. Way down. In the mid-1980s, when I played, there were no less than seven teams playing at the house level in each division. In some cases, there were 10 teams.

Now, and since the split with Auburn, both youth programs are disintegrating. Even a small spike in numbers, thanks to the Lewiston Maineiacs’ arrival two years ago, won’t hold for long.

One prominent example of this area’s sudden scorn for the sport is the attendance at the Maineiacs’ home opener last Friday.

The Colisee, which has had more trouble finding a naming sponsor than the Red Sox had finding a closer, has a seating capacity of 3,675 for a hockey game. Friday, which should have been one of the few guaranteed sellouts this year, the Maineiacs drew just 3,120. In 2004, the Maineiacs sold out a reduced number of seats while part of the building was still under construction, and the same in 2003, but both of those numbers were larger than last Friday’s.

What happened to the “Hockey Town of Maine”?

Part of the blame here goes to the Maineiacs’ front office. While it may not be intentional, since it is much easier to sell hockey in Canada than it is in the United States, the Maineiacs front office has done little to no effective advertising in and around this community. Yes, the team took out a full-page advertisement in this newspaper the day of the opener. That ad should have been there in June, again in July and at least twice in August.

It isn’t natural for fans to think hockey during the dog days of summer, but this management team has to make it that way.

Sure, the Maineiacs have taken out some radio advertising with a couple of local stations, but even the team has admitted that radio advertising in this area is tough because the market also includes Portland.

Speaking of Portland, why haven’t they made a big push there? The Pirates called me last year, asking me if I was interested in season tickets, so why can’t the Maineiacs do the same in the Portland area?

They have to pound the pavement. They have to send Lewy the mascot to every possible event. They have to hang signs at local businesses, run campaigns at local bars year-round and offer incentives to first-time fans. An advertisement and a radio spot are not going to be enough.

The fans are not without blame, either. I am sure that many who were in attendance Friday know people that were not. If the fans love going to watch the Maineiacs, they need to help ensure that the team will continue to operate here. Bring a friend or two. Buy the commemorative DVD and give it as a gift this holiday season, or simply tell the story of your experience at a game.

If you don’t feel that the Maineiacs are reaching you, tell them so. Too many people will complain about how bringing the Maineiacs to Lewiston was a monetary mistake. It only is if you don’t help them along by going to the games.

I know there are enough hockey fans in Lewiston-Auburn and the surrounding areas to pack the Colisee every night, and don’t give me the excuse about money. The money is out there. Look around and count the number of SUVs and trucks on the road. Those all cost $20,000 more than one season ticket to the Maineiacs, and people seem to have no problem paying for those.

So what is it, then? Why is this town, once proud to call itself the hockey capital of Maine, all of a sudden looking like it can’t support the first team to call it home since the 1970s?

I can’t answer that, but I hope you all can, and soon. This town deserves this team. The Maineiacs’ front office insists it wants to make the team work here. I believe them, but I need to see more – more from the team and more from the fans. The future of the franchise in Lewiston depends on it.