Memorial Cup format . . . here to stay

With the conclusion of the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup came the usual blathering from the nattering nabobs of negativity.
The format sucks and has to go, they say.
But they offer little, if anything, in the way of preferred options.
I am not a fan of the present four-team, round-robin tournament.
Why?
Mainly because I would much rather have the CHL championship decided the same way the three leagues decide their champions -- through best-of-seven series.
But with three major junior leagues competing for the Memorial Cup, that is impractical.
So what we are left with is the present system -- with four teams, three league champions and a host team, playing through a single round-robin to decide two semifinalists, with the winner of that game advancing to meet the top team in the round-robin in the tournament.
You may not have enjoyed this year’s final game, what with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires whipping the host Brandon Wheat Kings, 9-1, but you have to admit that the best team won. And isn’t that what it’s all about?
Besides . . . the present format is meant to do more than simply find a champion.
It is meant to help grow the game, to reward the host community and, in most instances, to help host teams get upgraded facilities.
All of which happened in Brandon.
The hockey may not have been the best, but the event took over the Wheat City and all of southern Manitoba. Both Winnipeg daily newspapers, the Free Press and the Sun, staffed the event, as did various electronic media outlets from the capital city.
When all is said and done, the host community will find that the event injected upwards of $13 million into its economy.
And the Wheat Kings are rewarded by having much-needed upgrades made to Westman Place, including the addition of private boxes and a score clock with a great video system.
It also is worth mentioning that the awarding of the MasterCard Memorial Cup to a community does something to the pride of the citizenry that is not achievable in a whole lot of other ways.
So while you may not like the present Memorial Cup format, you might as well get used to it because it isn’t going away any time soon.
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Here’s part of what Neate Sager, over at Yahoo! Sports, wrote:
“The Memorial Cup is the only one among three major sports events that hold sway in Canada's heartland that hasn't left smaller cities behind -- the world junior hockey championship and curling's Tim Hortons Brier, which was held in Brandon in 1982, have gone for the bright lights and bigger arenas.
“The days when the world junior could be held in Red Deer are long gone. Hockey Canada and the IIHF have had a taste of what can be had by taking that tourney to a NHL city such as Ottawa or Vancouver. With regard to the Brier, a few Brandonites noted last week that despite the city being a curling hotbed, the chance of a Brier coming to town is next to zilch.”
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If you missed it, a hockey fan posted this here:
As a former Brandonite who returned for the week for the hockey, I also enjoyed your good words about the city. It’s a shame that some media people who weren't there (including one from Regina) have labelled it as the worst tournament ever.
Hockey-wise, it was disappointing, but that is a credit to the Windsor Spitfires and how good they are. The tournament as a whole was incredible, and the Keystone Centre is such a unique facility with the ability to hold:
1. Hockey House, with a capacity of 1,700 that was amazing after the games (and during from what I've heard).
2. HHOF - really enjoyed walking around it.
3. The souvenirs and school kids’ projects on each team in the CHL/military exhibits in the Brandon Curling Club.
4. The extra sheet(s) of ice available for teams to practice on.
5. A couple of restaurants, a bar and a pub.
6. Hotel.
7. All the stuff set up in the concourse.
All under one roof!
The crowds were amazing at every game but Windsor-Moncton, but even that was exciting.
The roar after Jay Fehr’s winning goal was absolutely incredible! Never seen anything like that.
With regards to the 50/50, it was 1 for $5, 3 for $10 and 10 for $20 and in Brandon they were available in the arena (at the game) and in Hockey House.
Amazing week, would have been nice to see some more competitive hockey, but don't blame Brandon (team or organizers), blame Windsor for being so good!
As for the profit guarantee, the City of Brandon and I believe the province provided the financial backing in case the host committee couldn't cover it. Even if there had been a loss, the good PR and extra dollars it brings into the businesses and city is well worth it.
I had a chance to talk to Jeff Cristall who was the head of the host committee. He couldn't speak enough to the fact that Brandon has played host to so many national and world stage events, and all of the organizers of those hopped on board, and they made the event what it was. A city like Saskatoon, Lethbridge, etc., that have also played host to a lot of those events, would be a great host.