Memorial Cup and C200 ........Don't Mix Well

[Jack Bauer]

Jul 6, 2023 7:05:55 GMT -4 yesisaiditfirst said:

There are 60 teams in the CHL and half will never - just do not qualify to ever bid for a Memorial Cup and get it. Cape Breton is not in that 30.

There is a road map to follow to bid and it's lengthy but doable.

Set the dream and show the community why it's good for Sydney & the CBRM, local hockey long term, getting future events * any improvements to CBRM infrastructure is paving way for later* and good for the Q especially Maritime teams and the Eagles franchise.

If you don't dream big and shoe your serious you will never matter. I hope you get there. Glass is half full actually.

I don't view it as realistic mostly because the goal posts are always moving on what is needed.

Just 10 years or so ago (2009/10ish I believe) we were to believe the rink was good enough. Video scoreboard and private boxes were supposed to be a game changer. We got the exact same bag of crap from management and government leaders that we're hearing now....only now its spend $10 million and we'll get more.

Our building, as is, hosts 5000 or so for major events. Without spending any additional money we hosted a Scotties and secured the Womens World Curling championship.

But for a Memorial Cup we need...a different scoreboard? Is 4k highlights part of a Memorial Cup? Does $500K even get you an upgrade on a video scoreboard in 2023? We also need a new concessions area...badly overdue but the cost of all of it is also kind of insane. $10 million is the last figure we were told which is all coming from levels of government that are completely gutting people financially as it is in the current state the world is in.

And for what? ANOTHER Brian Adams concert? Another 1st round Q playoff exit? I view us as a sucker willing to pay money to enter bidding processes we have no shot at winning when it comes to this Memorial Cup stuff. The money spent is needed but 100% its the wrong time to spend it on C200 and make the experience of buying an overpriced hot dog a better one.

I just dont see this magic path to becoming a top franchise hosting a Memorial Cup(thats it....1) and getting events that even a Halifax doesn't get with a rink twice the size. Our 5000 seats and our market will always limit us no matter if we have gold plated seats and the best french fries to be found at a sporting event.

And after we spend all the money and go through another decade of not understanding our own limitations? Its 2033 and we're back discussing a $15 million reno for the next shot at a Memorial Cup.

We're already getting major events. But I really have a tough time seeing how we somehow step into some other tier after spending 8 figures for 1750 fans per night to watch a Q game.

[dogshockeyfan]

Guys I get your upset and would love to host but enjoy the games!. Think of the great players like Ivan Ivan, Marc Flury ect. The memorial cup is kinda once in a life time event to host. Its split between 3 leagues and with teams in Atlantic Canada it usually goes to Quebec on every second round of the rotation. But enjoy the games win or lose support your team and have fun at the game!

[Jack Bauer]

Jul 6, 2023 10:12:39 GMT -4 dogshockeyfan said:

Guys I get your upset and would love to host but enjoy the games!. Think of the great players like Ivan Ivan, Marc Flury ect. The memorial cup is kinda once in a life time event to host. Its split between 3 leagues and with teams in Atlantic Canada it usually goes to Quebec on every second round of the rotation. But enjoy the games win or lose support your team and have fun at the game!

What I think some of us are trying to say is that the distraction of the Memorial Cup is just keeping us from doing what we need to do to just have a competitive team.

We could have an NHL arena here with all the amenities and it doesnt matter if the on ice product is terrible.

Look at who you named...Ivan Ivan a good but not great Q player. Overage Euro. Not a player anyone would go out of their way to see. Great kid. Great personality. But lets be honest...not really leaving a historical imprint here.

Marc-Andre Fleury. Mr. Screaming Eagle. #1 overall pick. TWENTY years ago. He was a great Q player. Someone everyone SHOULD HAVE went out of their way to see. Great kid. Great personality. Left the biggest historical imprint a junior hockey player can in terms of being the #1 overall draft pick in an NHL draft. The fact he was a goaltender and in the deepest draft ever just adds to it.

But how does what he was 20 years ago do anything for people being asked for pay $25 to watch a terrible product every year?

We're not crying to host anything here. But speaking for myself i'm sick and tired of the owner who preached world class everything continue to run things on a shoestring budget yet expect to get everything Halifax or Quebec City get.

Maybe we try winning 4 playoff games in a season first. That would be a good starting point.

[lirette]

Jul 6, 2023 8:40:03 GMT -4 Jack Bauer said:

Jul 6, 2023 7:05:55 GMT -4 yesisaiditfirst said:

There are 60 teams in the CHL and half will never - just do not qualify to ever bid for a Memorial Cup and get it. Cape Breton is not in that 30.

There is a road map to follow to bid and it's lengthy but doable.

Set the dream and show the community why it's good for Sydney & the CBRM, local hockey long term, getting future events * any improvements to CBRM infrastructure is paving way for later* and good for the Q especially Maritime teams and the Eagles franchise.

If you don't dream big and shoe your serious you will never matter. I hope you get there. Glass is half full actually.

I don't view it as realistic mostly because the goal posts are always moving on what is needed.

Just 10 years or so ago (2009/10ish I believe) we were to believe the rink was good enough. Video scoreboard and private boxes were supposed to be a game changer. We got the exact same bag of crap from management and government leaders that we're hearing now....only now its spend $10 million and we'll get more.

Our building, as is, hosts 5000 or so for major events. Without spending any additional money we hosted a Scotties and secured the Womens World Curling championship.

But for a Memorial Cup we need...a different scoreboard? Is 4k highlights part of a Memorial Cup? Does $500K even get you an upgrade on a video scoreboard in 2023? We also need a new concessions area...badly overdue but the cost of all of it is also kind of insane. $10 million is the last figure we were told which is all coming from levels of government that are completely gutting people financially as it is in the current state the world is in.

And for what? ANOTHER Brian Adams concert? Another 1st round Q playoff exit? I view us as a sucker willing to pay money to enter bidding processes we have no shot at winning when it comes to this Memorial Cup stuff. The money spent is needed but 100% its the wrong time to spend it on C200 and make the experience of buying an overpriced hot dog a better one.

I just dont see this magic path to becoming a top franchise hosting a Memorial Cup(thats it....1) and getting events that even a Halifax doesn't get with a rink twice the size. Our 5000 seats and our market will always limit us no matter if we have gold plated seats and the best french fries to be found at a sporting event.

And after we spend all the money and go through another decade of not understanding our own limitations? Its 2033 and we're back discussing a $15 million reno for the next shot at a Memorial Cup.

We're already getting major events. But I really have a tough time seeing how we somehow step into some other tier after spending 8 figures for 1750 fans per night to watch a Q game.

Charlottetowns board, which isnt anything fancy but a great improvement over their old one was $400K. Id imagine with $500K it would be doable to get something like theirs but abit bigger. I think the one at Avenir was around $1 million but closer to what you see in NHL arenas.

I get what you are saying about the goalposts though. The Moncton Coliseum was complete shit and in a terrible location in 2006 when they hosted but it seems to be the capacity of the building was all that really mattered. The building was so hot they ran out of selling bottled water. They added a video board at the time and a couple of other things but nothing compared to what you see is needed now. I guess with the modern buildings in Gatineau, Quebec, Moncton etc have changed the expectations. What I remember about that Memorial Cup though has nothing to do with the building and everything to do with the atmosphere. Hard to even remember a building that was that loud for a junior game since then.

I personally think Sydney would make a great host even with their building now but think Moncton ends up getting it in 2025 after the world junior showing. League will want to show off its shiny new toy on the national stage.

[Jack Bauer]

Jul 6, 2023 13:57:37 GMT -4 lirette said:

Jul 6, 2023 8:40:03 GMT -4 Jack Bauer said:

I don't view it as realistic mostly because the goal posts are always moving on what is needed.

Just 10 years or so ago (2009/10ish I believe) we were to believe the rink was good enough. Video scoreboard and private boxes were supposed to be a game changer. We got the exact same bag of crap from management and government leaders that we're hearing now....only now its spend $10 million and we'll get more.

Our building, as is, hosts 5000 or so for major events. Without spending any additional money we hosted a Scotties and secured the Womens World Curling championship.

But for a Memorial Cup we need...a different scoreboard? Is 4k highlights part of a Memorial Cup? Does $500K even get you an upgrade on a video scoreboard in 2023? We also need a new concessions area...badly overdue but the cost of all of it is also kind of insane. $10 million is the last figure we were told which is all coming from levels of government that are completely gutting people financially as it is in the current state the world is in.

And for what? ANOTHER Brian Adams concert? Another 1st round Q playoff exit? I view us as a sucker willing to pay money to enter bidding processes we have no shot at winning when it comes to this Memorial Cup stuff. The money spent is needed but 100% its the wrong time to spend it on C200 and make the experience of buying an overpriced hot dog a better one.

I just dont see this magic path to becoming a top franchise hosting a Memorial Cup(thats it....1) and getting events that even a Halifax doesn't get with a rink twice the size. Our 5000 seats and our market will always limit us no matter if we have gold plated seats and the best french fries to be found at a sporting event.

And after we spend all the money and go through another decade of not understanding our own limitations? Its 2033 and we're back discussing a $15 million reno for the next shot at a Memorial Cup.

We're already getting major events. But I really have a tough time seeing how we somehow step into some other tier after spending 8 figures for 1750 fans per night to watch a Q game.

Charlottetowns board, which isnt anything fancy but a great improvement over their old one was $400K. Id imagine with $500K it would be doable to get something like theirs but abit bigger. I think the one at Avenir was around $1 million but closer to what you see in NHL arenas.

I get what you are saying about the goalposts though. The Moncton Coliseum was complete shit and in a terrible location in 2006 when they hosted but it seems to be the capacity of the building was all that really mattered. The building was so hot they ran out of selling bottled water. They added a video board at the time and a couple of other things but nothing compared to what you see is needed now. I guess with the modern buildings in Gatineau, Quebec, Moncton etc have changed the expectations. What I remember about that Memorial Cup though has nothing to do with the building and everything to do with the atmosphere. Hard to even remember a building that was that loud for a junior game since then.

I personally think Sydney would make a great host even with their building now but think Moncton ends up getting it in 2025 after the world junior showing. League will want to show off its shiny new toy on the national stage.

Exactly. Then we fall behind a Quebec based team...then Halifax/SJ are in the running again...not only with better arenas no matter what we spend but better respected organizations as well. Move forward 2-3 cycles and are we sure Halifax isn't looking at a new building? Or Charlottetown?

We should focus on hosting the draft. Lets get some attainable things rather than lead already disappointed fans through more disappointment. Especially when it comes after government spending that we desperately need but spending it on a hockey rink is among the dumbest ways to spend it right now...unless someone can tangibly show with real figures how having a bigger/better/more modern dressing room area suddenly changes the type of concert we can bring in. Otherwise we're spending money on the absolute wrong areas when the maximum return is 1 10 day tournament and like 7 hockey games and thats with all stars aligning by 2031 at the earliest. 8 years after our last government spending our arena was in dire need of upgrades according to our government and the team.

History says there's a better chance of another $10 million needed to be spent in 2031 than the Memorial Cup ending up here.

Lets see someone spend some money on affordable public housing instead. Add some supply to the market and actually try and help people.

Nice arenas mean nothing if you need to walk over homeless people to get through the doors. And anyone going from our hotels to C200 today would be walking by some situations that definitely weren't as out in the open here 5-10 years ago like it is right now.