News Article: Coyotes bidding on 2018 World Juniors, Frozen Four

[KG]

If Montreal has troubles with attendance how would ours be better? Counting on Canadians coming down as a vacation? Cheaper tickets?

Would love to see me some WJC live game, though.

 

[TheLegend]

From Sarah McLellan:

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nhl/coyotes/2015/02/05/coyotes-hoping-bring-world-junior-championship-frozen-four-glendale/22960649/?hootPostID=70c714400078d85c4d3313830544f92a


and from Craig "Tankkiller" Morgan:

http://www.foxsports.com/arizona/story/coyotes-plan-to-bid-on-2018-world-junior-championship-020515

 

[XX]

It would be nice to have both the year ASU moves to fulltime D1 as a celebration of hockey arriving in Arizona. That's also roughly when the escape clause passes as well, I believe.

 

[AZviaNJ]

It would be nice to have both the year ASU moves to fulltime D1 as a celebration of hockey arriving in Arizona. That's also roughly when the escape clause passes as well, I believe.

The Frozen Four is set for the next 5 years I believe, next open spot is 2019 (post 5 yr clause)....WJC is during the 5th year.

Lots of potential activity in this growing hockey mecca.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

Yes.

Interesting thought: AZ wants another Superbowl in the early 2020s, and that's roughly around when the light rail will start heading out towards Westgate. It was supposedly a huge hit with visitors and they set all kinds of records that week. It would be nice if that link got expedited in the name of having a more appealing bid.

Source? Because, if true, great, but that's really news to me - having worked near MetroCenter in the mid 00s and seen plans for the current extension they're working on to Dunlap, I was under the impression that the light rail *might* make it as far as MetroCenter by 2026 , or the 'new' branch as far as I-10/79th Ave by 2023. I figure the light rail will make it out to UofP Stadium about the time the Yotes - if still here - are due for a new arena, which hopefully won't be anywhere near Glendale...not that I'll necessarily be around to see it...

http://www.valleymetro.org/images/u...hase_II_Report_Card_-_December_2014_FINAL.pdf

http://www.valleymetro.org/images/uploads/prop_reports/Capitol_I-10_Report_Card_-_December_2014.pdf

 

[XX]

Source? Because, if true, great, but that's really news to me -

http://azbex.com/glendale-goes-east-west-for-first-light-rail-extension/

http://archive.azcentral.com/commun...ndale-begins-discussing-light-rail-paths.html

They are studying and talking about it. It's mostly about funding, not desire, which is a good thing. I mainly am just speculating that the state might help push it along a bit sooner as part of attracting more events to the valley. It'd be great to have the three economic engines in the valley linked together.

 

[TheLegend]

The Frozen Four is set for the next 5 years I believe, next open spot is 2019 (post 5 yr clause)....WJC is during the 5th year.

Lots of potential activity in this growing hockey mecca.

Current Frozen Four Sites:

2015 - TD Garden, Boston
2016 - Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa Bay
2017 - United Center, Chicago
2018 - XCel Energy Center, St. Paul

2019 - TBD

 

[TheLegend]

Source? Because, if true, great, but that's really news to me - having worked near MetroCenter in the mid 00s and seen plans for the current extension they're working on to Dunlap, I was under the impression that the light rail *might* make it as far as MetroCenter by 2026 , or the 'new' branch as far as I-10/79th Ave by 2023. I figure the light rail will make it out to UofP Stadium about the time the Yotes - if still here - are due for a new arena, which hopefully won't be anywhere near Glendale...not that I'll necessarily be around to see it...

http://www.valleymetro.org/images/u...hase_II_Report_Card_-_December_2014_FINAL.pdf

http://www.valleymetro.org/images/uploads/prop_reports/Capitol_I-10_Report_Card_-_December_2014.pdf

They've also looked at reaching downtown Glendale by 2026, either going down Camelback Ave. or Glendale Ave.

http://www.valleymetro.org/projects_and_planning/project_detail/west_phoenix_central_glendale/

 

[Mosby]

Alongside the secondary rink options of Tucson, Prescott Valley, and U.S. Airways, Craig's article also included the old Arizona Coliseum as a possibility. That'd be pretty neat.

Sarah's article listed the same 5 teams: Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Detroit, Tampa, and Arizona, but also the Florida Panthers. A Tampa/Sunrise co-host scenario could be an early favorite.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

Alongside the secondary rink options of Tucson, Prescott Valley, and U.S. Airways, Craig's article also included the old Arizona Coliseum as a possibility. That'd be pretty neat.

If only to watch the Canadians melt down on here, that would be pretty neat. ("a 50 year old building that hasn't had ice in 15? ugh, that's so Arizona!") Especially if they ended up in the group that had to play there (although I was under the impression that it would be difficult to re-establish ice in that facility)

edit: didn't read article - if that proposal's only for the Frozen Four, not the WJC...delete (but it's still funny)

 

[Rink Rage]

Alongside the secondary rink options of Tucson, Prescott Valley, and U.S. Airways, Craig's article also included the old Arizona Coliseum as a possibility. That'd be pretty neat.

Sarah's article listed the same 5 teams: Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Detroit, Tampa, and Arizona, but also the Florida Panthers. A Tampa/Sunrise co-host scenario could be an early favorite.

I would be shocked if anyone but first three win the bid. Why would the Tampa/Sunrise be the early favorite?

 

[Dirty Old Man]

I would be shocked if anyone but first three win the bid. Why would the Tampa/Sunrise be the early favorite?

For the same reason so many people with a winter move to Florida part- or full-time, I would assume.

 

[Mosby]

From that group of cities, Tampa/Sunrise is interesting for the snowbirds aspect. Tampa seems to have a good reputation for these kind of events as well. Obviously the other big possibility is Buffalo, as it's easily accessible for many Canadians, and Buffalo has hosted the WJC before.

Detroit could depend on when their new arena is ready to go and how that date fits in with bidding deadlines, etc.

 

[Rink Rage]

Historically when the NHL puts together a business plan when Canadian snowbirds are the targeted consumer, it fails miserably. Florida/Tampa would be different?

 

[Rink Rage]

And how popular is the Pittsburgh bid? That is Erie Otter town.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

Historically when the NHL puts together a business plan when Canadian snowbirds are the targeted consumer, it fails miserably. Florida/Tampa would be different?

I never witnessed it first hand, but I was under the impression Tampa handled the Frozen Four just fine? Only way it (WJC) would be better for me is if the other site was Orlando (home of Magic/ECHL Solar Bears), as I'm usually home there during the holidays anyway...

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/colleges/tampa-will-host-the-2016-frozen-four/2156617

 

[Rink Rage]

I guess they drew well for the Frozen Four. I feel that's more popular than the WJC down in the states.

 

[awfulwaffle]

I guess they drew well for the Frozen Four. I feel that's more popular than the WJC down in the states.

It makes sense though. I mean, where is the Frozen Four usually played at? I'm assuming it's relatively close to a college that has a D1 team that is pretty good. Alums of schools that have a team, and that like hockey, will follow them.

I say that's much easier to track than minor league hockey.

Take a casual sports fan(I'm going to call myself that). Baseball, you have the Diamondbacks obviously, then you have AAA, AA, A, rookie, etc. I have no idea who is in our farm system currently. I followed more closely back in the day and watched our pitching, but all those prospects have been traded off. Now, I have no idea who the next young stud is that should be coming up.

Same with hockey. As a casual fan, I mean I know who we have drafted, Domi, Perlini. Sam has made it to the NHL and showed he's a keeper. But beyond that, what do I know?

I think frozen four is more popular just for the sake of the team name in general.

 

[Rink Rage]

I think there's a difference just cause the average fan is more familiar with the concept of NCAA sports.

 

[jacobhockey13]

I think there's a difference just cause the average fan is more familiar with the concept of NCAA sports.

Exactly. People have no concept of junior hockey in the states.

 

[Heldig]

I think it would be amazing for Arizona to get the World Juniors. And absolutely Cdns would come down in droves to watch.

A lot of the "lesser" games typically only draw a few thousand fans so it is not like you need to have a full arena.