The Victoria Royals have submitted an initial expression of interest to host the 2016 Memorial Cup national major-junior championship by today’s deadline.
The Western Hockey League is up in 2016 in the three-league hosting rotation that includes the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior League.
“This is just the first step that starts the process. It’s a several-step procedure. There are a whole bunch of other steps to follow, and that’s when the process really starts,” said Royals GM Cam Hope.
“Victoria would be a great place to have it. This city seems to be made for hosting an event such as this.”
A more detailed proposal will be submitted by the bidding cities in September. A final decision is expected sometime in the fall.
The Vancouver Giants, who hosted the 2007 Memorial Cup, announced they will be bidding again for 2016. Red Deer is also expected to submit an expression of interest by today’s deadline.
Factors in Red Deer’s favour could include that it also bid for the 2013 Memorial Cup but lost to Saskatoon and that an Alberta city has not hosted the Memorial Cup since Calgary in 1974. Four decades is a long time to wait.
“We have to be pragmatic about such issues as how many cities have bid before and not won,” noted Hope.
“Our biggest hurdle is our newness [the Chilliwack Bruins-Victoria Royals franchise is just eight years old, with the first five years playing in Chilliwack and the last three in Victoria] and that we’ve never bid before.”
The next opportunity for WHL teams to bid after 2016 is when the league hosts the Memorial Cup again in 2019.
