Everett bids for Memorial Cup
Published 2:47 pm Friday, August 22, 2008
The Silvertips have submitted a bid to host the 2010 Memorial Cup. That makes Everett one of three WHL cities that have bid for the event, joining Brandon, Manitoba, and Kelowna, B.C. The host receives an automatic berth in the Memorial Cup, a week-long event which pits the champions of the WHL, OHL and QMJHL in the championship of Canadian junior hockey.
More later …
UPDATE 2:45 p.m.
Ok, here’s a quick update. Everett general manager Doug Soetaert said this was a legitimate bid, not a bid to ensure the fairness or the process, which Kelowna’s seems to be. The team’s been quietly looking into the possibility of submitting a bid for about six months, holding conversations with various local goverment and business leaders. The bid presentations will be made to the league on Oct. 15, with the outcome determined the following day.
I’m not sure Everett’s chances are real good. WHL commissioner Ron Robison is on record saying Brandon is the favorite provided its arena is upgraded, which the city has already agreed to do. Also, Western Conference teams have hosted the cup the past two times the WHL had it — Vancouver in 2007, Kelowna in 2004 — so the Eastern Conference is well past due for its turn. But Comcast Arena would be a great place for it, and it sure would be a lot of fun.
