Cam Hope invoked 1970s country music icon Kenny Rogers to explain why the Victoria Royals will not bid to host the 2016 Memorial Cup.
“You’ve got to know when to hold ’em and you’ve got to know when to fold ’em,” said the Royals GM, in announcing Victoria is doing the latter and walking away from the table.
“We will concentrate on 2019.”
That’s the next time after 2016 when the Western Hockey League is due to host the Memorial Cup, emblematic of the major-junior championship of North America.
The Royals had submitted an initial expression of interest this summer in hosting the 2016 Memorial Cup. But with Victoria officially dropping out, that leaves Vancouver and Red Deer to battle it out for hosting rights. League governors will decide the venue in a vote Oct. 8.
The problem for Victoria for 2016 is that the competition looks too formidable. Vancouver, which hosted a Memorial Cup in 2007 that set the all-time attendance record which still stands, brings to the table the NHL-size seating capacity of the Pacific Coliseum. It can also potentially bring into the mix Rogers Arena, home of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks.
Although Red Deer can’t remotely match those venues, it has an emotional appeal to make that it’s about time. Alberta has not hosted the Memorial Cup since 1974 in Calgary when players came to the rink in bell bottoms and platform shoes.
Faced with the powerful back-stories of those two bids, the Royals thought it best to bow out for 2016 and focus on winning the bid for 2019.
“Red Deer has bid a couple of times before and Alberta hasn’t had it since 1974 . . . and Vancouver has already shown what it can do [in 2007],” said Hope.
“We thought it better to wait for 2019.”
But by then, there will be other competing cities, each possessing what they believe are unique and compelling arguments.
“I’m not sure if we have a better chance or not [in 2019],” admitted Hope.
But he added Victoria easily has all the infrastructure necessary to host the Memorial Cup and the added bonus of a definite niche in the public imagination across the country.
The Memorial Cup is hosted in rotation between the WHL, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior League. The 2014 Memorial Cup was in London, Ont., and the 2015 tournament is in Quebec City. The WHL last hosted in 2013 at Saskatoon.
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