Bob Stauffer
Registered User
USports made an ill-fated decision a number of years ago to switch from 6 to 8 teams.
It hasn't worked!
The National Governing body has basically tried to "Draft" off of the dollars of Men's B-Ball and Men's Hockey in terms of hosting fees to balance the "loss leaders" of the other "less desirable" events all the while streamlining Men's and Women's Hockey formats to mirror Basketball and Volleyball Championships 8-team, single-elimination Tournaments.
The problem is that Hockey teams with a travelling entourage of 30 or so people is a much more expensive propostion than B-Ball and V-Ball.
The old 6-team format guaranteed at least two home gates, which gave the organizing committee a "punchers chance" to break even!
And it isn't like the competitiveness of the tournament has increased...has the OUA won a game over the last three years?
As it stands now, other than the Atlantic, which doesnt have NHL options, who in their right mind would "bid" on an 8-team event where you are only guaranteed 1 home gate.
Time to seriously look at going back to the 6-team Tournament IMO.
Thoughts?
It hasn't worked!
The National Governing body has basically tried to "Draft" off of the dollars of Men's B-Ball and Men's Hockey in terms of hosting fees to balance the "loss leaders" of the other "less desirable" events all the while streamlining Men's and Women's Hockey formats to mirror Basketball and Volleyball Championships 8-team, single-elimination Tournaments.
The problem is that Hockey teams with a travelling entourage of 30 or so people is a much more expensive propostion than B-Ball and V-Ball.
The old 6-team format guaranteed at least two home gates, which gave the organizing committee a "punchers chance" to break even!
And it isn't like the competitiveness of the tournament has increased...has the OUA won a game over the last three years?
As it stands now, other than the Atlantic, which doesnt have NHL options, who in their right mind would "bid" on an 8-team event where you are only guaranteed 1 home gate.
Time to seriously look at going back to the 6-team Tournament IMO.
Thoughts?
Last edited: