Could the Memorial Cup succeed without the host team bye?

[End on a Hinote]

Obviously the fans in the host city want to see their home team in the Memorial Cup tournament. But as someone who's home teams lone Memorial Cup championship came as a result of them hosting the tournament (They lost in the WHL semi finals), it feels somewhat like a tainted victory.

Would fans in the host city still show up if, hypothetically, instead of the host city getting an automatic berth into the tournament, they hold a wild card game for the two teams with the best records out of the three conference losers to play to decide the fourth team in the tournament?

I am personally not a fan of having the host team get a pass into the Memorial Cup, but I completely understand the business behind it.

Click to read more...

 

[Sidekick]

Obviously the fans in the host city want to see their home team in the Memorial Cup tournament. But as someone who's home teams lone Memorial Cup championship came as a result of them hosting the tournament (They lost in the WHL semi finals), it feels somewhat like a tainted victory.

Would fans in the host city still show up if, hypothetically, instead of the host city getting an automatic berth into the tournament, they hold a wild card game for the two teams with the best records out of the three conference losers to play to decide the fourth team in the tournament?

I am personally not a fan of having the host team get a pass into the Memorial Cup, but I completely understand the business behind it.

No, I really don't think it would be financially successful. You kinda need the host team there.
Although that doesn't mean there isn't an alternative option available. I've been thinking about potential options for a while, when bored, because (as I understand) the CHL has at least some desire to open the tournament beyond 4 teams. Now I've kept in mind the need to still have a host team, and since in my opinion the most intriguing games are the ones between league winners (therefore, a WJC-like pool a/b is out as it would split up the league winners)....and here is what I've come up with.

Pool A - the 3 league winners
Pool B - host team, 2 league finalists (not-host league).

Each team plays two games, then playoffs would look like this...
Wildcard Wednesday - 3rd place Pool A vs. 2nd place Pool B
Thursday (Semi-Final 1) - 2nd place Pool A vs. 1st place Pool B
Friday (Semi-Final 2) - Wildcard winner vs. 1st place Pool A
Sunday - final

So no team from Pool A can get eliminated until their 3rd game, which as champions earns them this.

RR schedule would look something like this (using the 2014 cup as a example)
Fri: London (host) vs. Portland (WHL finalist)
Sat: Guelph (OHL champ) vs. Val d'Or (Q champ)
Sun afternoon: London vs. Baie Comeau (Q finalist)
Sun night: Val d'Or vs. Edmonton
Mon: Portland vs. Baie Comeau
Tues: Guelph vs. Edmonton

Two teams still play back-to-back (a common complaint with the current schedule), but it would rotate between leagues - of course, and one of them goes afternoon to evening (so that's like a second day! ), and the other one is in Pool A where they can't be eliminated directly because of it.

 

[jason2020]

With 6 teams it could go like this

Pool A

Ohl Champ
Whl Champ
Qmjhl Champ

Pool B

Host
Runner up 1
Runner up 2

First Round

Saturday

Ohl Champ vs QMJHL Champ
Host vs Runner Up 2

Monday

Whl Champ vs Ohl Champ
Runner Up 1 vs Runner Up 2

Wednesday

QMJHL Champ vs Host
Runner Up 1vs Whl Champ

Play Off Round

Friday

Quarter Final 1)A Pool 3rd vs 2nd
Quarter Final 2)B Pool 3rd vs 2nd

Saturday

Semi Final 1)A Pool 3rd/2nd vs 1st
Semi Final 2)B Pool 3rd/2nd vs 1st

Monday

Championship Game

 

[EasternOntario Fan]

With 6 teams it could go like this

Pool A

Ohl Champ
Whl Champ
Qmjhl Champ

Pool B

Host
Runner up 1
Runner up 2

First Round

Saturday

Ohl Champ vs QMJHL Champ
Host vs Runner Up 2

Monday

Whl Champ vs Ohl Champ
Runner Up 1 vs Runner Up 2

Wednesday

QMJHL Champ vs Host
Runner Up 1vs Whl Champ

Play Off Round

Friday

Quarter Final 1)A Pool 3rd vs 2nd
Quarter Final 2)B Pool 3rd vs 2nd

Saturday

Semi Final 1)A Pool 3rd/2nd vs 1st
Semi Final 2)B Pool 3rd/2nd vs 1st

Monday

Championship Game

If you are letting League Finalists in doesn't it diminish the League Finals with a trip to the M Cup on the line. I obviously understand that could happen in the host league, but for every league final to be like that, I think it would really affect the quality of hockey of said finals. Sure people will say that it wouldn't as each team would want to win to get the better seeding, but playing to go to the M Cup instead of playing for a better seed is totally different.

 

[Otto]

Here's a post I made a few years ago...... I have increased my salary demands

First off let me preface this by saying that I understand the league in it's present state will never,ever go for any of the ideas I am about to post. These are simply my ideas to bring Junior Hockey back to it's grass roots, ensure for better competition in, and a fair way of choosing the host for the Memorial Cup and ensuring any hint of bias is removed from day to day decisions..

So without further ado.. If elected CHL Commissioner:

1) The Memorial Cup format would be as follows: The three league champs get in PLUS the winner from the previous year which would be the host team. Hosts teams do not necessarily need to use their home arena and they would have until November 30th to submit their plan. If they don't feel they can successfully host then the right goes to the team that loses in the final. So all participating teams in the previous years cup would be wise to prepare their plans... YES this means it does not move around from league to league every year and it puts the onus on teams to be successful. In order for the Host team to PLAY in the Memorial Cup they must at least get to their respective conference finals.. so if you miss the playoffs or get knocked out in the first two rounds .. yer out! At which point the loser of the league final gets in. Ticket packages do not go on sale for anyone until the Conference finalists have been decided. Again teams would be wise to have the correct infrastructure in place to deal with the ticket demand once the Conference Finals start

2) I would remove the financial guarantee Junior Clubs are expected to make.. but this format would return the memorial Cup to the grass roots of hockey.. thereby making it even MORE popular and growing the game

3) I would ensure that there was a separate commissioner for each CHL league.. removing any conflict of interest of having the CHL commissioner also overseeing one of its member leagues

4)I would also develop a competition committee made up of former players/officials/coaches to work in conjunction with the NHL and oversee prospective rules changes. These changes would mean that ALL leagues play under the SAME rules

5)As well there will be 1 disciplinary committee also made up of former players/officials/coaches that will oversee the discipline and hand down suspensions/fines for ALL three leagues.

6)ALL officials will be full time and be required to complete a rigorous training program in conjunction with the NHL officials. All officials will be paid as full time employees at a rate slightly lower than the starting NHL official.

7)My desired Salary is $80,000 per year plus travel allowance for my wife & I

 

[willb892]

1) The Memorial Cup format would be as follows: The three league champs get in PLUS the winner from the previous year which would be the host team. Hosts teams do not necessarily need to use their home arena and they would have until November 30th to submit their plan. If they don't feel they can successfully host then the right goes to the team that loses in the final. So all participating teams in the previous years cup would be wise to prepare their plans... YES this means it does not move around from league to league every year and it puts the onus on teams to be successful.

I like the idea of having the previous champion host the next year. That might be a tricky thing to schedule and put in place in such short notice, but it's probably do-able.

But if a host city went to all of that trouble of organizing a tournament with less than a year's notice, I think they would want a guaranteed spot. It makes more sense financially.

Personally, the automatic host doesn't bother me, if its kept for the sake of tradition. But a 6-team tournament is very intriguing.

 

[Duke Guy]

So, if the previous year winner (let's say it's London) gets to host the next year, what happens if they win again? Do they host it again?

 

[Chootoi]

2 issues I see with having the previous champion hosting is that:

1 - Most junior teams are built to peak at a certain point. After their big run they blow it up and start over. It's the cyclical nature of junior hockey. In many cases the previous champion would get destroyed as they would be rebuilding the following year.

2 - There are teams that will never get to host because of the size of their rinks. It's a shame but it's a reality. It just plain wouldn't be profitable for the small market host and you're basically forcing them to lose money.

 

[ecraigs]

Host teams have been improving, mostly because they get more time to prepare and make the moves necessary to compete. Team competitiveness is part of the bid evaluation, although cash is number one. After 20 Cups, I'd say that a weak host team is the least of the issues around the whole process. I'd rather they deal with inconsistent officiating before worrying about the host team. Without a host team, the atmosphere would be sadly lacking.

 

[alko]

Why didnt they call USHL champ? It does much more sense for me, as this host team.

Where there ever such idea?

 

[BarBeauWahlDobLok]

Oh, how I hope Windsor wins this thing. All the Eerie Otters have stupid looking hair.