2024 University Cup

[Rants Mulliniks]

Now there's a name I've not heard in quite some time. He was the radio PBP guy for the AHL Fredericton Express back in the 1980s. I think he did some Fredericton Canadiens games in the 90s too but he wasn't the main guy for them. Can't recall who was.

I guess as a UNB alum I should be somewhat pleased they won nationals again, but they've become so dominant at the AUS level now that instead I feel a bit sad that the conference has deteriorated to "UNB and everyone else." When I was a student in the 90s, UNB was just rising and had stiff competition from the likes of Acadia and UdeM, and STU could always give them a tough game despite never quite being as talented. Those "Battle Of The Hill" games down at the LBR were something else. Alas, those days shall never come again.

I was at a Jeffries Memorial game one time and heard a chant I only heard once in my life. UNB was killing STU - no fault of anyone’s, UNB was just very good. UNB scores yet another goal and the whole Aitken Centre starts pointing at the STU goalie and chanting “It’s all your fault! It’s all your fault!”.

Poor guy…..

 

[dm8895]

I was at a Jeffries Memorial game one time and heard a chant I only heard once in my life. UNB was killing STU - no fault of anyone’s, UNB was just very good. UNB scores yet another goal and the whole Aitken Centre starts pointing at the STU goalie and chanting “It’s all your fault! It’s all your fault!”.

Poor guy…..

I really miss STU, I was a season ticket holder for both teams despite being a UNB fan. I’m glad the Wings are here to kinda fill that void but damn it was nice having two AUS teams in town

 

[Drummer]

Has UQTR ever bid on the UCup? With the size of their rink (and the option of using the bigger ECHL rink) + their fan support it seems like a natural fit…or am I missing something?

They hosted the 1984 University Cup.

It was 4-team tournament with two(2) best-of-two series and a single game final.

The teams were the host UQTR, CWUAA representative - Alberta Golden Bears, QUAA Representative - Concordia Stingers and the Eastern Regional Champion (the winner of OUA and AUAA series - this is the series UNB lost to UoT at the AUC). They needed to reduce the field by one champion and this was the selected approach.

UoT won both games over UQTR - 6-1 & 8-3
Concordia won over Alberta. They tied both games - 3-3 & 2-2. Concordia won the tie-breaker match (mini overtime after game 2).
UoT won the finals on Sunday 9-1 for title #10 (their last to date)

 

[Hollywood3]

They hosted the 1984 University Cup.

It was 4-team tournament with two(2) best-of-two series and a single game final.

The teams were the host UQTR, CWUAA representative - Alberta Golden Bears, QUAA Representative - Concordia Stingers and the Eastern Regional Champion (the winner of OUA and AUAA series - this is the series UNB lost to UoT at the AUC). They needed to reduce the field by one champion and this was the selected approach.

UoT won both games over UQTR - 6-1 & 8-3
Concordia won over Alberta. They tied both games - 3-3 & 2-2. Concordia won the tie-breaker match (mini overtime after game 2).
UoT won the finals on Sunday 9-1 for title #10 (their last to date)

There were two regionals that year. Alberta swept Manitoba in one and Toronto swept new Brunswick in the other. UQTR and Concordia had byes direct to the final four.

1984 University Cup

These are the 1984 playoffs for the University Cup, the CIAU Canadian university championship. The 6-team, 2 pool format was halted starting this season. Six teams qualified. Four teams played in regional quarter-finals and two teams received byes. The final four tournament was hosted by the...

icehockey.fandom.com

 

[Rob]

I would like to see the 2026 host be a location that has a passionate fan base. Selfishly Moncton or Halifax would be idea for me. In the OUA the only two locations that qualify are Trois Rivières and Lakehead (the latter probably doubtful). In Canada West it is Saskatchewan and Alberta.

 

[MiamiHockeyII]

I would like to see the 2026 host be a location that has a passionate fan base. Selfishly Moncton or Halifax would be idea for me. In the OUA the only two locations that qualify are Trois Rivières and Lakehead (the latter probably doubtful). In Canada West it is Saskatchewan and Alberta.

I have never understood why McGill doesn't apply. The Red(birds) have the track record of success, McConnell Arena is a great venue, Montreal is a fabulous city to host, and McGill has a strong enough alumni to drum up the financial support needed. You're also going to get fans from UQTR and UNB assuming they qualify.

 

[Rob]

I have never understood why McGill doesn't apply. The Red(birds) have the track record of success, McConnell Arena is a great venue, Montreal is a fabulous city to host, and McGill has a strong enough alumni to drum up the financial support needed. You're also going to get fans from UQTR and UNB assuming they qualify.

I’ve been to McConnell

I have never understood why McGill doesn't apply. The Red(birds) have the track record of success, McConnell Arena is a great venue, Montreal is a fabulous city to host, and McGill has a strong enough alumni to drum up the financial support needed. You're also going to get fans from UQTR and UNB assuming they qualify.

Arena only seats 2800. Doubt that could work.

 

[MiamiHockeyII]

I’ve been to McConnell

Arena only seats 2800. Doubt that could work.

Those seats would actually have people in them, however, unlike this past weekend.

 

[Rob]

Those seats would actually have people in them, however, unlike this past weekend.

True. I just wonder if McGill would feel comfortable guaranteeing the money required to host with a rink that small? I don’t believe they have ever bid.

I think Bob Stauffer said he didn’t think the Golden Bears would be able to host in the Clarke Drake arena and it’s 2600

 

[dm8895]

When you google the capacity for TMU it shows higher than it is. The facility itself lists 2600 for hockey so it’s the same size lol

https://www.mattamyathleticcentre.ca/assets/doc/Event-Guide-da171e77da.pdf

 

[MiamiHockeyII]

True. I just wonder if McGill would feel comfortable guaranteeing the money required to host with a rink that small? I don’t believe they have ever bid.

I think Bob Stauffer said he didn’t think the Golden Bears would be able to host in the Clarke Drake arena and it’s 2600

The thing I wonder is about the dressing rooms and media facilities at Clare Drake / McConnell. Camera angles and lack of space might cause problems.

According to previous posts, reported attendance (i.e., tickets distributed) this past weekend was around 1500 - far less than capacity. Mattamy was half-empty for the Championship game and, ironically, 90% empty for the Bronze Medal Game featuring the host team.

McConnell is smaller than Mattamy, with a capacity around 1600, though there are great standing room areas. I'd much prefer 1500 people in a 1600 seat arena than 1500 in a 2600 seat arena.

 

[Rob]

The thing I wonder is about the dressing rooms and media facilities at Clare Drake / McConnell. Camera angles and lack of space might cause problems.

According to previous posts, reported attendance (i.e., tickets distributed) this past weekend was around 1500 - far less than capacity. Mattamy was half-empty for the Championship game and, ironically, 90% empty for the Bronze Medal Game featuring the host team.

McConnell is smaller than Mattamy, with a capacity around 1600, though there are great standing room areas. I'd much prefer 1500 people in a 1600 seat arena than 1500 in a 2600 seat arena.

I know that the host needs to guarantee a certain amount up front. Not sure if TMU will release the details but they must have lost money on hosting.

Anyway McGill definitely has some rich alumni. Maybe a big donor will come through one day?

 

[Aces89]

Probably my own bias here but Queen’s would be a great host. They have the Vanier Cup again this year, just hosted the Men’s Volleyball this past year and women’s rugby before that so they have the staff to do it. Kingston also hosted the first ever University Cup and has a rich university hockey history with RMC and Queen’s playing each other since 1886. It’s also centralized being the centre point between Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa

Problems tho is Queen’s is going under financial issues. The arena (now called Slush Puppie Place) might be the worst arena to host a big event because they have one dressing room designated for the Frontenacs and then 4 dressing rooms only that if you have 12 and a goalie for beer league there’s not a lot of room. And they’re all in one area. It’s a VERY tight space for the Queen’s/RMC Carr-Harris Cup game.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

The thing I wonder is about the dressing rooms and media facilities at Clare Drake / McConnell. Camera angles and lack of space might cause problems.

According to previous posts, reported attendance (i.e., tickets distributed) this past weekend was around 1500 - far less than capacity. Mattamy was half-empty for the Championship game and, ironically, 90% empty for the Bronze Medal Game featuring the host team.

McConnell is smaller than Mattamy, with a capacity around 1600, though there are great standing room areas. I'd much prefer 1500 people in a 1600 seat arena than 1500 in a 2600 seat arena.

IMO, McConnell is too small for the University cup and wouldn't have the dressing rooms to accommodate the teams.
They would need to find an alternate site.
Possible hosts:
OUA-UQTR,Lakehead
West-Sask, Alberta, maybe UBC.
Halifax- any 4 Nova Scotia teams, Fredericton,Moncton, PEI in the East

 

[MiamiHockeyII]

Probably my own bias here but Queen’s would be a great host. They have the Vanier Cup again this year, just hosted the Men’s Volleyball this past year and women’s rugby before that so they have the staff to do it. Kingston also hosted the first ever University Cup and has a rich university hockey history with RMC and Queen’s playing each other since 1886. It’s also centralized being the centre point between Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa

Problems tho is Queen’s is going under financial issues. The arena (now called Slush Puppie Place) might be the worst arena to host a big event because they have one dressing room designated for the Frontenacs and then 4 dressing rooms only that if you have 12 and a goalie for beer league there’s not a lot of room. And they’re all in one area. It’s a VERY tight space for the Queen’s/RMC Carr-Harris Cup game.

RMC hockey gets more fan support than Queens hockey.

I love #1 The Tragically Hip Way (can't call it by its new name, sorry), which hosts raucous crowds for the Carr-Harris Cup and RMC-Army game each year, but it has too large a capacity for the UCup. The crowds would look worse than what we saw in Toronto this past week.

Dressing rooms aside, Queens would struggle to pay because (1) they would have to rent out #1 TTH Way, (2) there is next to no corporate support in Kingston, which is a government town funded by colleges, prisons, and the military, and (3) ticket sales would not be robust enough to make up the difference.

IMO, McConnell is too small for the University cup and wouldn't have the dressing rooms to accommodate the teams.
They would need to find an alternate site.
Possible hosts:
OUA-UQTR,Lakehead
West-Sask, Alberta, maybe UBC.
Halifax- any 4 Nova Scotia teams, Fredericton,Moncton, PEI in the East

I agree on McConnell's dressing room issue, but it would be better than an empty arena elsewhere.

McGill is well-connected within the Canadiens' organization. I wonder if Place Bell could be made available. Probably too large a facility, but it might work.

 

[Drummer]

I’ve been to McConnell

Arena only seats 2800. Doubt that could work.

2800 Full is great. Assuming you sell 1200 packages at $240 ($30 per game) you raise $288K. Watch the highlights from UNB in 2017 & 18 compared to TMU.

USPORTS recently only asked for 12.5% of ticket sales - so, the more you sell, the more you make.

The real revenue is in the sponsorships.
- the committee gets 30% of any ads sold to USPORTS national partners.
- the committee gets the first $10K of all revenue (and will retain 50% of all remaining revenue).

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Would love for Fredericton to bid on it again, but I’m guessing they won’t anytime too soon.

 

[Rob]

Would love for Fredericton to bid on it again, but I’m guessing they won’t anytime too soon.

I think they will make a bid on the Women’s first.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

I think they will make a bid on the Women’s first.

Agreed

 

[Hollywood3]

Unfortunately, the best arenas for this are Junior A buildings located in small cities without universities. I've been to the arenas in Selkirk, Portage, and Dauphin and they are great. Small yet modern.

 

[Drummer]

With 8 teams - you will never have enough dressing rooms. What you need is an adequate storage space/cages/truck/camper where teams can park their stuff.

Places of interest
UdeM hosting at the Avenir Centre
UQTR hosting at Colisée Vidéotron
UBC at Doug Mitchell
MRU/CAL dual-bid at Father Bauer or Max Bell with the finals at the Dome

 

[Hollywood3]

FWIW, none of the Usports nationals draw large crowds for games not involving the host, or a team within driving distance.

 

[MiamiHockeyII]

With 8 teams - you will never have enough dressing rooms. What you need is an adequate storage space/cages/truck/camper where teams can park their stuff.

Places of interest
UdeM hosting at the Avenir Centre
UQTR hosting at Colisée Vidéotron
UBC at Doug Mitchell
MRU/CAL dual-bid at Father Bauer or Max Bell with the finals at the Dome

If MRU/Calgary ever wanted to bid, they would host the entire event on the Olympic-size ice at the Winsport Arena. I can't imagine a worse place to host the University Cup than Father Bauer or the Saddledome.

 

[AdamMcg83]

With 8 teams - you will never have enough dressing rooms. What you need is an adequate storage space/cages/truck/camper where teams can park their stuff.

Places of interest
UdeM hosting at the Avenir Centre
UQTR hosting at Colisée Vidéotron
UBC at Doug Mitchell
MRU/CAL dual-bid at Father Bauer or Max Bell with the finals at the Dome

For anyone who knows the rink in Verdun - would that be a suitable venue for a possible McGill bid, or McGill/Concordia joint bid?

 

[AUS Fan]

I have to comment on some of the "pipe dream" posts about possible hosts and rinks.

I've spoken enough about Kitchener over the years and my comments apply to ANY Ontario school except Lakehead. Lakehead plays in a old building with a bunch of small dressing rooms. They had trailers outside for the gear. The room we we in could barely fit the players. But, in terms of attendance it was good.

Mcgill is a no, not sure on UQTR. Anywhere in the AUS works well for attendance and, if a NS team is hosting. the Mero center has loads of room. UPEI was fine, except for having the gear in the other side if the complex in cages. Makes extra work for the equipment guys.

In CW, UofA and UofS are the only 2 venues for me.