Ottawa gets WJC 2009

[OMMF]

http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/news_story/?ID...bname=world_jrs

OTTAWA (CP) - Ottawa won the right to host a world junior hockey championship on its fourth try and the centrepiece of the city's bid for the 2009 event was the guarantee of a record profit of $12.5 million.

The world under-20 men's championship in Canada's capital could produce a profit as high as $14 million, but it's the guarantee that's eye-popping.

That's over twice what Vancouver put up at $5.2 million to secure the 2006 tournament, although the profit ended up being closer to $9 million.

Also...

The Montreal Canadiens wanted the tournament in that city in 2009 to tie in with the NHL franchise's 100th anniversary.

The strike against that bid, however, was that there is no major junior hockey team in Montreal. That's not an argument the Canadiens' management wanted to hear.

"I don't necessarily associate a junior franchise in the city with hosting a two-week event that comes every three years to this country," Habs vice-president of marketing Ray Lalonde said.

I tend to agree. Even though they don't have a Q team anymore, I could see Montreal putting on a great WJC.

[NJTank]

Nice now if they can get a NHL ASG

[Roger Clemente]

Ottawa is hosting the NHL Entry Draft six months before hand, so it's a bonus.

What's the alternate venue for Ottawa going to be? The Civic Centre is the primary one (Scotiabank Place a possibility, but VERY unlikely), but another city in vicinity oughta be hosting the B pool, and I'd probably say Gatineau, Quebec because they also have a CHL team. Someone in the Ottawa area might know of a better venue.

This past year, Vancouver and the co-host sites, Kelowna and Kamloops all have CHL teams. Halifax and Sydney, the previous hosts, also have CHL teams.

Montreal had a team, the Rocket. They played in the Bell Centre (capacity 21,275) and drew an average of about 1,500!!!! (If I'm not mistaken, they only had ten seating sections in the entire arena open for Rocket games, and those never sold out.) They moved to P.E.I.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

[OMMF]

What's the alternate venue for Ottawa going to be? The Civic Centre is the primary one (Scotiabank Place a possibility, but VERY unlikely), but another city in vicinity oughta be hosting the B pool, and I'd probably say Gatineau, Quebec because they also have a CHL team. Someone in the Ottawa area might know of a better venue.

From the link:

The tournament will be held at Scotiabank Place, which is the home of the Senators, and the Civic Centre, the 67's arena, from late December 2008 to early January 2009.

[pollux]

Montreal had a team, the Rocket. They played in the Bell Centre (capacity 21,275) and drew an average of about 1,500!!!! (If I'm not mistaken, they only had ten seating sections in the entire arena open for Rocket games, and those never sold out.) They moved to P.E.I.

They played only one season at the Bell Centre. Before that, they played at the Maurice Richard Arena, near the Olympic Stadium, where they had decent attendance.

Problem is, in Montreal, it's the Habs or nothing. Although the Laval Titans had great attendance and they still left for Bathurst...

[Gordie]

What's the alternate venue for Ottawa going to be?  The Civic Centre is the primary one (Scotiabank Place a possibility, but VERY unlikely), but another city in vicinity oughta be hosting the B pool, and I'd probably say Gatineau, Quebec because they also have a CHL team.  Someone in the Ottawa area might know of a better venue.

From the Senators' site:

"During the tournament, 31 games will be held over 10 days at two arenas. Scotiabank Place ? home of the Ottawa Senators -- will host 17 games. The Ottawa 67?s home rink -- the Civic Centre -- will host the remaining 14"

One of the advantages of the bid was that there were two suitable arenas within the city, so there wouldn't be any long bus rides between sites as there have been in some past tournaments. The Kingston Frontenacs and Gatineau Olympiques are on board as well, and there should be some pre-tournament action at those locations.

Other rinks within the city of Ottawa which could be used as practice facilities:

Bell Sensplex - Senators' practice facility, has 1 Olympic-sized ice surface, and 3 NHL-sized

Earl Armstrong - one of the venues used for the first Women's World Championship in the early '90's (the one where Canada wore white and pink uniforms)

Steve Yzerman Arena at the Nepean Sportsplex

Any of the other Tier-II Junior A rinks, University of Ottawa or Carleton University facilities, or city-operated rinks - indoor and outdoor.

I'd add the Rideau Canal, but it probably won't be frozen that early in the winter.

Edit: I just read in the paper that the Bell Capital Cup minor hockey tournament, with over 400 teams from all over the world, is going to be running the same week as the WJC, so most of the facilities listed above will probably be unavailable.

More details on the 2009 WJ tournament here:

Hockey Canada Press Release

[Shylockthejew]

Does anyone have any pictures of those pink Team Canada jerseys? I've heard about them, but I don't rmember ever seeing them. Just for novelty's sake...