PROVINCE TAKES HIT ON MEMORIAL CUP
REGINA (CP) – The Saskatchewan government is taking a hit of about $668,000 on the Memorial Cup junior hockey championship held in Saskatoon last May.
The province has just approved payment to the Canadian Hockey League because the event didn’t meet a profit guarantee of $3.5 million that was made when Saskatoon bid for the championship.
Tim McMillan, minister responsible for Tourism Saskatchewan, says the hockey tournament made about $2.5 million and was one of the best attended in history.
The province also put up $250,000 to upgrade rink boards and glass, bringing the total it spent on the Memorial Cup to closer to $918,000.
McMillan says some events ask for a profit guarantee, while others ask for an upfront grant, like the Junos which asked for $1.5 million last year in Regina.
He also says the Memorial Cup generated about $11 million in economic spinoff for Saskatoon, so it was the worth the money.
Next headline,
The Saskatchewan government is taking a hit of about ??,????,????. ?? on the Canadian Football League championship held in Regina last November.
F i n ????
I absolutely agree with the first comment. Nothing like placing your business plan in the hands of a bunch of 17 & 18 year kids. Heck we would even trust them to drive our $20k car let alone a $3.5 million dollar hockey tournament.
PST and money from liquor taxes will more than make up for the provincial gov’t contribution to the Grey Cup. The Memorial Cup however is a different story.
I would love to know how they came up with 11 million of economic spinoffs is a laughable stat.
No big surprise that there has already been some comments removed by the administrator. For some reason a topic like this brings out the worst in some people.
Or it brings out the truth
That depends on what your version of the truth is.
Embarrasing, once again Saskatchewan shows its not a hockey province. First the World Juniors had problems selling tournament packages and unless Canada played teams played in front of poorly attended games. NHL hockey games don't sell out when team owners are willing to travel to Saskatoon or Regina to host their games and now in the first time in CHL history a government has to step in and bail out a tournament's guarantee in a "booming province". Sadly, unless its a CFL event it won't sell out in Saskatchewan. Although Mr. Broadsky has moved on, he is partially to blame… Read more »
Jack sold the blades for over 8.5 million, why doesn't he even offer to pony up half?
After-all, it still shows on the govt website that he's the chairman of Sask tourism, it would be the right thing to do wouldn't it?
The Blades should pay the hit, their team was a joke. Good job, Lorne – "I'm in!!!!"
Yet some will say Saskatoon can handle an nhl team. Give it up.
Agreed with couple of annon's back…Jack being an employee (regardless of what the title is) of the government should feel obligated not to have the province cough up any money for this. Secondly, agreed with other posts, SK is not a hockey city. I know Kelly Remple and Roddy were talking about Sk being an event city, I think its only a football event party. Curling championships, hockey tournaments, collegiate events and many concerts no longer sell out in this province. I've been trying to find information but it appears this is the first time at province had to help… Read more »
This is appalling, we're a forward moving province telling the world how great we are and how flush we are with cash.
We now have to bail out a hockey tournament?
brutal
I think we should all panic and crap our pants.
Your on your own, have at it.
All you people so concerned with Sask's 'reputation' should have bought 10-20 packages each and gave 'em away. Marketers love suckers who can be convinced to buy unneeded merchandise on the basis of things unrelated to the product (like pride). Although I believe a tournament doesn't have to be sold out to be successful, if people wanted a sell-out tournament it's simple, the product wasn't worth the money to enough people. It was overpriced in the eyes of many. The blame for attendance is on the organizers and league for overestimating their product if that's what they wanted. Rob in… Read more »
Sells out in every other city Rob including large centers like Vancouver and smaller centers like Halifax…so, why in a province of a million people doesn't it hold the same value that it did in the last three tournament cities?
Saskatoon’s slogan:
Dream big, under-deliver, city of the provincial hand-out
One of the best attended tournaments every. If they couldn't meet budget, there is something wrong. Why we give dysfunctional situations opportunities like this is beyond me.
Should have given it to Regina. It would have made 2 million.
Prices were too high, the stadium was too big. You look at Brandon theirs was a success you don't have to promise millions of dollars it's junior hockey. The chl is getting to big for its britches.
We're moving forward? Sure, you keep believing that, and this is pure garbage that should be coming out of the Saskatoon Blades end period.
Could Moose Jaw ever be a Memorial Cup host? I've never been to the new rink but everyone raves about the facility and maybe the event would be more popular in a smaller city (or are the city and rink too small?). I would think Moose Jaw would really rally around the Warriors. I had nothing but a great experience in Regina in '01. I'd love to see that again but I'll probably be an old man before it happens. Also, is it realistic that Edmonton could be a host once they build the new arena? Assuming they keep Rexall… Read more »