Discover Saskatoon CEO Stephanie Clovechok says you only have to look to the excitement generated by the Blades/Pats playoff series to know an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Saskatchewan would be a success. Hockey Canada approached Saskatchewan asking a bid be submitted for 2025. Discover Saskatoon, the Saskatchewan Entertainment Group, the REAL District, Saskatoon Destination Marketing Hotels and the Regina Hotel Association have joined forces in their efforts to host the 2025 World Junior Hockey Championship.
Clovechuck was part of the delegation which made the pitch for the event bid at Wednesday’s meeting of city council’s planning, development and community services committee. It came with a request for $500,000. A similar request was made in Regina as well as funding requests to the Government of Saskatchewan. Confirmation of funding from all levels of government, accommodation and venue costs and details of corporate sponsors would be some of the details required when submitting the bid by April 24th.
In addition to games in the province’s two major centres, organizers say pre-tournament games would be played in other cities and communities around the province. This bid to host the 2025 World Juniors is a joint submission between Saskatoon and Regina. When it comes to projecting success Clovechok had pointed to the battle in the WHL Eastern Conference quarter final best of seven series where game five in Saskatoon on Saturday night drew a crowd of 12,100 people at SaskTel Centre. Meanwhile, for the three games in the series that have taken place in Regina it was sold out each night a capacity crowd of 6,499.
Clovechok says they anticipate the event will generate $50 million dollars in economic impact, attract 300,000 plus fans to the games over the course of the 31-game event. All 31 games are being broadcast on television with a potential for over 120 million worldwide viewers.
SaskTel Centre CEO John Howden told the committee the arena is ready to host the tournament and noted recent upgrades to concession areas, Wi-Fi systems and the concourse. The committee unanimously approved a request from Discover Saskatoon for the $500,000 in support for a bid for the 2025 World Juniors.
Game seven in the best of seven series between Saskatoon Blades and Regina Pats is Monday night in Saskatoon and tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. Sunday morning.
