2017 U Sports Playoffs/University Cup (March 16th-19th in Fredericton, NB)

northvanman

Registered User
Jun 4, 2009
427
41
Oakville, ON
According to hockey database their attendance last year was 1712. Might be inflated for some reason though.

That number caught me by surprise so I just did a quick scan of their box scores. They did not report attendance for 12 out of 14 games. That number is based on 2 games - 1812 against Laurentian (which was one of those 11am "school day" games where they bring in lots of high school kids), and 1612 against McGill, which is a pretty good crowd.

I only went to one game this year (against Waterloo) and there were about 400 in the rink. I've gone to their games for years and that's a pretty typical crowd. Against a good team - like Lakehead several years ago - they might pull in 800-1,000.
 

Rob

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
8,954
1,452
New Brunswick
Visit site
That number caught me by surprise so I just did a quick scan of their box scores. They did not report attendance for 12 out of 14 games. That number is based on 2 games - 1812 against Laurentian (which was one of those 11am "school day" games where they bring in lots of high school kids), and 1612 against McGill, which is a pretty good crowd.

I only went to one game this year (against Waterloo) and there were about 400 in the rink. I've gone to their games for years and that's a pretty typical crowd. Against a good team - like Lakehead several years ago - they might pull in 800-1,000.

Thanks for clarifying. I thought something was off.

Anyway they still get better crowds than most of the OUA.
 

RED ARMY EAST

Registered User
Feb 14, 2010
1,928
286
Freddy Beach,N.B.Canada
The Question is, and I don't know the answer. maybe someone on these boards has an idea.

Do we know at all, what the minimum attendance per game would have to be to break even or have a chance to break even based on presumed concession sales.

In the case of UNB, does selling 3000 Tournament passes guarantee they will make a huge profit or simply have a chance to break even.

Or compare to I have no doubt Wolfville would sellout their 1800 Seat Rink and Antigonish their 2300 Seat Rink for the Tournament, would that be enough that they will break even or make profit, or will they be guaranteed to lose money even with the presumed concession sales.

You would need to average around 3,000. UNB made money at the other two University Cups, but with the addition of 2 extra teams, it is now a challenge to break even. Extra hotel, transportation, in the the form of busses, meals for the teams as long as they stay in town etc.
Huge 50/50 sales throughout the tournament helped. Although , UNB doesn't get the revenue from the liquor and beer sales.
UNB, also owns the facility, not the city, so minimal cost . A volunteer committee organized the event, also minimal cost to the University.
Overall, I would be shocked, if they didn't make money.
As for the Keating Center (X) too small and I think that capacity is under 2,000, not 2,400.
AUC was 3,800 before adding corporate boxes, It is now 3,400, but UCup figures exclude volunteers, staff, players etc. They oversold and packed the building during Thursday,Saturday's and Sunday's game that involved the home team.
The overall cost to host such an event could easily reach $250-300,000. You need lot's of corporate support to make it happen. That's why Fredericton will host again, because the CIS knows that they will do a good job and provide a positive environment for the student athlete.
As long as the Q stays out and UNB remains competitive.
 

Prov1X

Registered User
Feb 26, 2012
804
55
Fredericton NB
You would need to average around 3,000. UNB made money at the other two University Cups, but with the addition of 2 extra teams, it is now a challenge to break even. Extra hotel, transportation, in the the form of busses, meals for the teams as long as they stay in town etc.
Huge 50/50 sales throughout the tournament helped. Although , UNB doesn't get the revenue from the liquor and beer sales.
UNB, also owns the facility, not the city, so minimal cost . A volunteer committee organized the event, also minimal cost to the University.
Overall, I would be shocked, if they didn't make money.
As for the Keating Center (X) too small and I think that capacity is under 2,000, not 2,400.
AUC was 3,800 before adding corporate boxes, It is now 3,400, but UCup figures exclude volunteers, staff, players etc. They oversold and packed the building during Thursday,Saturday's and Sunday's game that involved the home team.
The overall cost to host such an event could easily reach $250-300,000. You need lot's of corporate support to make it happen. That's why Fredericton will host again, because the CIS knows that they will do a good job and provide a positive environment for the student athlete.
As long as the Q stays out and UNB remains competitive.

Very accurate I would say, from talking to committee members, the goal was to break even, lots of extra expenses this time (two extra teams), so they were happy to break even, though they thought they would be taking a small loss. Yes they did oversell, I have heard reports of people with tickets being turned away at the door, which I would have been angry about.
Like previously stated, even the AUC is not ideal to host an 8 team even, they don't have the dressing rooms, press rooms, nor the storage room for the extra equipment. The rooms on the soccer field side are not ideal to house an university hockey team (with the exception of the double room down on the far end).
Now, I am not sure how accurate this is, but I have heard that they are closing down the AUC next spring after the Nationals to blow out the side of the AUC on the parking lot side. They are going to expand the bottom of the AUC for new dressing rooms, fitness rooms, coaches room. Though it would be very hard, would be nice to add some seating, like a balcony section in the Moncton Coliseum, though I know it would never happen, as it could open the door to a QMJHL team looking to move.
Second to last point, I have been told that for the AUC to house a QMJHL team, it would cost upwards of a $1million to get it up to Q League requirements, again, this is just what I have been told. I can not see UNB putting in that much money (or any for that matter) that would lead to having a competing team for the hockey dollars in Freddy.
Last point, it will be a while before UNB applies to host a national event, any national event. Having just hosted soccer, and back to back hockey, they want to take a break. Lots of work goes into hosting, lots of volunteers, time, money.
 
Last edited:

MiamiHockey

Registered User
Sep 12, 2012
2,087
187
You would need to average around 3,000. UNB made money at the other two University Cups, but with the addition of 2 extra teams, it is now a challenge to break even. Extra hotel, transportation, in the the form of busses, meals for the teams as long as they stay in town etc.
Huge 50/50 sales throughout the tournament helped. Although , UNB doesn't get the revenue from the liquor and beer sales.
UNB, also owns the facility, not the city, so minimal cost . A volunteer committee organized the event, also minimal cost to the University.
Overall, I would be shocked, if they didn't make money.
As for the Keating Center (X) too small and I think that capacity is under 2,000, not 2,400.
AUC was 3,800 before adding corporate boxes, It is now 3,400, but UCup figures exclude volunteers, staff, players etc. They oversold and packed the building during Thursday,Saturday's and Sunday's game that involved the home team.
The overall cost to host such an event could easily reach $250-300,000. You need lot's of corporate support to make it happen. That's why Fredericton will host again, because the CIS knows that they will do a good job and provide a positive environment for the student athlete.
As long as the Q stays out and UNB remains competitive.

And that figure is contingent on the host team owning their facility.

Once you get into having to rent a facility, the costs increase quickly.

Much of the discussion on this board has considered whether or not there is a suitable facility in the city, not whether or not the host school owns it.

I think you can eliminate schools such as Western, Queen's, etc. From discussion because the cost of renting the local OHL arena would be too high to make the tournament viable.
 

RED ARMY EAST

Registered User
Feb 14, 2010
1,928
286
Freddy Beach,N.B.Canada
And that figure is contingent on the host team owning their facility.

Once you get into having to rent a facility, the costs increase quickly.

Much of the discussion on this board has considered whether or not there is a suitable facility in the city, not whether or not the host school owns it.

I think you can eliminate schools such as Western, Queen's, etc. From discussion because the cost of renting the local OHL arena would be too high to make the tournament viable.

Exactly, attendance would need to be greater than 3,000 if you had to rent a facility.
It would be interesting to know what SMU and X paid to use the Metro Center and did they get a cut of the concessions, liquor sales and 50/50 ?
These factors are going have a huge influence on a team hosting the University Cup.
 

cishockeyfan

Registered User
Nov 5, 2007
767
16
You would need to average around 3,000. UNB made money at the other two University Cups, but with the addition of 2 extra teams, it is now a challenge to break even. Extra hotel, transportation, in the the form of busses, meals for the teams as long as they stay in town etc.
Huge 50/50 sales throughout the tournament helped. Although , UNB doesn't get the revenue from the liquor and beer sales.
UNB, also owns the facility, not the city, so minimal cost . A volunteer committee organized the event, also minimal cost to the University.
Overall, I would be shocked, if they didn't make money.
As for the Keating Center (X) too small and I think that capacity is under 2,000, not 2,400.
AUC was 3,800 before adding corporate boxes, It is now 3,400, but UCup figures exclude volunteers, staff, players etc. They oversold and packed the building during Thursday,Saturday's and Sunday's game that involved the home team.
The overall cost to host such an event could easily reach $250-300,000. You need lot's of corporate support to make it happen. That's why Fredericton will host again, because the CIS knows that they will do a good job and provide a positive environment for the student athlete.
As long as the Q stays out and UNB remains competitive.

After seeing UNB plans on not applying for any National Championchips in the immediate future, and figuring it takes min 3000 to have a chance to break even, this really raises the question of wtf is the University Cup going to do after next year??

Its sounds like only Moncton, Halifax, Edmonton and Saskatoon are capable of hosting. But then their is questions with all those. Halifax just hosted so i cant see X and SMU wanting to do it again already. Edmondton never had the Oil Kings in town last time they hosted. I cant see Moncton having any interest anymore, The Blue Eagles progran has really slid downhill the past 8 years (no offence Serge)
 

cishockeyfan

Registered User
Nov 5, 2007
767
16
Very accurate I would say, from talking to committee members, the goal was to break even, lots of extra expenses this time (two extra teams), so they were happy to break even, though they thought they would be taking a small loss. Yes they did oversell, I have heard reports of people with tickets being turned away at the door, which I would have been angry about.
Like previously stated, even the AUC is not ideal to host an 8 team even, they don't have the dressing rooms, press rooms, nor the storage room for the extra equipment. The rooms on the soccer field side are not ideal to house an university hockey team (with the exception of the double room down on the far end).
Now, I am not sure how accurate this is, but I have heard that they are closing down the AUC next spring after the Nationals to blow out the side of the AUC on the parking lot side. They are going to expand the bottom of the AUC for new dressing rooms, fitness rooms, coaches room. Though it would be very hard, would be nice to add some seating, like a balcony section in the Moncton Coliseum, though I know it would never happen, as it could open the door to a QMJHL team looking to move.
Second to last point, I have been told that for the AUC to house a QMJHL team, it would cost upwards of a $1million to get it up to Q League requirements, again, this is just what I have been told. I can not see UNB putting in that much money (or any for that matter) that would lead to having a competing team for the hockey dollars in Freddy.
Last point, it will be a while before UNB applies to host a national event, any national event. Having just hosted soccer, and back to back hockey, they want to take a break. Lots of work goes into hosting, lots of volunteers, time, money.

I couldnt see them blowing out the side of the AUC to add more room to dressing rooms for one more year of this tournament. The cost would be massive and after next tournament it wouldnt be needed again possibly.

Although in a Fantasy world I wish they would do this but wont. The only way to add seats would be to cut out the upperwalls behind the top rows and add a full new concorse so they could eliminate all those mid section entrances and the present concorse (not possible). Those entrances cut out about a thousand seats. Almost all rinks enter from the top of the lower bowl and walk down.

When you see other rinks that fit 3000 to 4000 The Aitken Center actually deceivingly looks like it has a much bigger bowl. Compared to say the KC irving Arena Bathurst and Civic Center Charlottetown or Campbellton Civic Center.

They could of course add seats if they wanted to eliminate the colter room and box office but again not really possible, only reason a bigger rink would be needed would be of course to get a Q team and UNB doesnt want to help that happen nor does a Q team want to be the tenant in a building making no money.

Will have to wait till the 5200 seat McCain Center is built on Bishop Drive in 2025
 

Prov1X

Registered User
Feb 26, 2012
804
55
Fredericton NB
I couldnt see them blowing out the side of the AUC to add more room to dressing rooms for one more year of this tournament. The cost would be massive and after next tournament it wouldnt be needed again possibly.
From what I was told, it is not planned until after next years nationals (new ice plant is going in starting next week). It is going to get crowded in there with the woman's team playing out of the AUC once again. Again, this is what I have heard, nothing is confirmed.
It was said that they wanted to make the upgrades and then host again in a few years with a new and improved AUC.
 

cishockeyfan

Registered User
Nov 5, 2007
767
16
Whats Brutal about the AUC when full, is the concourse is so congested. It takes forever to walk anywhere. All bathrooms are lined up into the hall. And forget about hoping to get a Slice of Pizza after the first period, i think they ran out after 1 period every game
 

Prov1X

Registered User
Feb 26, 2012
804
55
Fredericton NB
Whats Brutal about the AUC when full, is the concourse is so congested. It takes forever to walk anywhere. All bathrooms are lined up into the hall. And forget about hoping to get a Slice of Pizza after the first period, i think they ran out after 1 period every game

Totally agree, one of the school nights they ran out of popcorn in the first period! How do you not have enough popcorn with a rink full of young school kids?
 

AUS Fan

Registered User
Aug 1, 2008
3,952
1,700
At the Rink
Whats Brutal about the AUC when full, is the concourse is so congested. It takes forever to walk anywhere. All bathrooms are lined up into the hall. And forget about hoping to get a Slice of Pizza after the first period, i think they ran out after 1 period every game

The concourse is congested because people stand in the middle and yak. I do agree that it is tight, but if people would put one foot in front of the other it is less so.
 

Drummer

Better Red than Dead
Mar 20, 2009
1,688
182
Freddy Beach, NB
www.vredshockey.com
The concourse is congested because people stand in the middle and yak. I do agree that it is tight, but if people would put one foot in front of the other it is less so.

I wish they had a smaller box office near the door. Then they could close the main one and open up the front area and make it easier to walk to the other side through the front.
 

Rob

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
8,954
1,452
New Brunswick
Visit site
The concourse is congested because people stand in the middle and yak. I do agree that it is tight, but if people would put one foot in front of the other it is less so.

YES! It annoys me to no end. People will stop dead in their tracks to talk to someone coming the other way. Seems to be a Maritime thing.
 

Rob

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
8,954
1,452
New Brunswick
Visit site
I wonder if Acadia might be interested in putting in a bid for the Nationals? If I remember correctly they did put in a bid to host both years in Halifax but lost out to the joint bid of X and SMU.
 

AUS Fan

Registered User
Aug 1, 2008
3,952
1,700
At the Rink
They couldn't host in Wolfville. The rink is too small and hotel space is limited.

And, if Halifax has CIS B-ball, the sponsorship dollars wouldn't be available for hockey.

I'd like to see it back in Halifax.
 

cishockeyfan

Registered User
Nov 5, 2007
767
16
Here's a question I don't know the answer to.

I know times were different then. But how were the cost of the CIS Championship looked after from 1988 to 1997, when Varsity Arena and Toronto Hosted the tournament for 10 straight seasons? No Host Team, Barely any great crowds.

It worries me a bit, that it seems there is a lack of any suitable host for this important tournament. It can't be in the same couple of places all the time, as it's normal for interest to fade over time when you get too used to something. I've already seem this in Freddy a bit, watching the ticket sales the first time Fredericton hosted in 03-04, you would be lucky to find 2 seats together available in November in one of the upper corners of the rink. This year was much slower, there were a lot of tickets available in the last month, Id check the box office site map and it looked like maybe only 2000 of 3300 passes were sold as late as in the month of February. You also get a bunch of those band wagon fans, that really don't know or care much about the UNB Program but went anyway, saw UNB win, and probably they wont have the urge to go again next season (been there done that).

I would just like to see this Tourney spread around as much as possible, and remain a special event when you do get a chance to host.
 

RED ARMY EAST

Registered User
Feb 14, 2010
1,928
286
Freddy Beach,N.B.Canada
I don't have an answer on the cost of ten years in Toronto, but it's more expensive now, bottom line.
You had 4 teams back then and it wouldn't surprise me if the CIAU covered the cost's?
When it moved to Saskatoon for 3 straight years, it changed to a 6 team format, now it has changed to a 8 team format , since 2015 in Halifax.
As stated several times, the added costs of this 8 team tournament, is going to have an impact on the host bids. It's not the question of who's turn it is to host, but what possible Hosts are willing to go after it from a financial view and have the facility to host it.
 

AUS Fan

Registered User
Aug 1, 2008
3,952
1,700
At the Rink
Another factor in hosting is the fact that the host team may be out after one game. The only area that I feel that would not be a large issue is in the AUS where you have all 3 entries within 3-4 hours of the venue and you have a good chance to see at least one team playing on Sunday.

I agree with cishockeyfan that interest will fade over time if the event is held in the same place year after year. We'll have to wait a few months until the bids are in.
 

Prov1X

Registered User
Feb 26, 2012
804
55
Fredericton NB
Another factor in hosting is the fact that the host team may be out after one game. The only area that I feel that would not be a large issue is in the AUS where you have all 3 entries within 3-4 hours of the venue and you have a good chance to see at least one team playing on Sunday.

I agree with cishockeyfan that interest will fade over time if the event is held in the same place year after year. We'll have to wait a few months until the bids are in.

I guess that the AUS is unique in that aspect, that the fans will travel that 3-4 hours to see their team. I thought that Halifax was an amazing host, the games were well attended, I believe that the finals were sellouts (or very close) both years. The location was great, as your hotels were close, plenty of restaurants and entertainment close by, I guess the only knock and I don't even believe it was an issue or should be, that it was not on a campus. I don't think that it affected the event whatsoever.
But like mentioned, like everything else, if it was there every year, the novelty of it would wear I believe. One thing about this event, I think it should be held in a city/town where it's the number one show in the city/town, given they have the facilities to host the event. Fredericton is a great spot, with the exception that the AUC could be bigger, I think an arena from 5000-7500 would be ideal for this event.
 

Drummer

Better Red than Dead
Mar 20, 2009
1,688
182
Freddy Beach, NB
www.vredshockey.com
Here's a question I don't know the answer to.

I know times were different then. But how were the cost of the CIS Championship looked after from 1988 to 1997, when Varsity Arena and Toronto Hosted the tournament for 10 straight seasons? No Host Team, Barely any great crowds.

I don't know, but I was under the impression that the CIAU was the host. They rented Varsity Stadium and Maple Leaf Gardens for the games and pocketed any profit (tickets and TSN revenue) - much the same way they manage the Vanier Cup.

The Vanier Cup has a bigger following than the UCup and I believe the return wasn't worth the effort as Toronto is a hard market to sell hockey in after the Leafs. Also, the Vanier Cup is a week long marketing effort on two teams you know will be in the final while the UCup has 4 teams and you didn't know who was going to be in the final until the day before.

This led them to 'sell' the UCup tournament to qualified schools. It was a cash win fall for organizing schools the first 10-12 years, but the CIS has continually increased the guarantee to the point that they may have gone too far.
 

RED ARMY EAST

Registered User
Feb 14, 2010
1,928
286
Freddy Beach,N.B.Canada
I guess that the AUS is unique in that aspect, that the fans will travel that 3-4 hours to see their team. I thought that Halifax was an amazing host, the games were well attended, I believe that the finals were sellouts (or very close) both years. The location was great, as your hotels were close, plenty of restaurants and entertainment close by, I guess the only knock and I don't even believe it was an issue or should be, that it was not on a campus. I don't think that it affected the event whatsoever.
But lrike mentioned, like everything else, if it was there every year, the novelty of it would wear I believe. One thing about this event, I think it should be held in a city/town where it's the number one show in the city/town, given they have the facilities to host the event. Fredericton is a great spot, with the exception that the AUC could be bigger, I think an arena from 5000-7500 would be ideal for this event.
The first year final was between Alberta and UNB, drawing under 4,000, but the city was blasted with a huge snowstorm on the same weekend, indeed a big factor. Like this year, that hit a couple of days prior to the event.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->