St. Louis Should Host The World Junior Hockey Tournament

by Brad Lee on Jan 4, 2012 9:01 AM CST

The following is an open letter to Frank Viverito, president of the St. Louis Sports Commission.

Dear Mr. Viverito,

We haven't met, but I'm a big fan of the St. Louis Sports Commission. Your organization has been responsible for bringing to St. Louis some of the most well-known sporting events in the country. I have personally attended the Final Four, the Frozen Four, other NCAA basketball events and the MLB All Star Game -- all events your organization was influential in successfully hosting. I write to you urging St. Louis to compete to host another event that is possibly more famous outside this country that would bring many visitors to the city and put St. Louis on the map in international hockey circles.

On Thursday night the International Ice Hockey Federation will host its World Under 20 Championship. More commonly known as the World Junior Hockey Tournament, the event brings together national developmental hockey teams from the U.S. Canada and across Europe. The NHL is filled with players who have participated in the tournament, including the St. Louis Blues' own Alex Pietrangelo, Ian Cole, T.J. Oshie, Patrik Berglund and Kevin Shattenkirk who all represented their home countries in recent years. Possibly the game's best player, Sidney Crosby, first stepped into the spotlight for team Canada as a teenager. The best and brightest young players from around the world participate in this event. What that translates to is strong followings from hockey-crazed nations such as Canada, Sweden and Russia.

Tune in on NHL Network on Thursday night, sir, and see the turnout for the bronze and gold-medal games. Canada fell to Russia Tuesday night, but the arena will be packed to the rafters in Alberta. I guarantee it. Just think how many people would fill the Scottrade Center for games and how many of them would be from other parts of the United States, Canada and Europe. Plus, there are enough games that the tournament uses a secondary rink. The Family Arena in St. Charles would be a perfect secondary facility. That would mean using the tourism resources from that neighboring community as well.

I know this sounds like a lot of work. There's sponsorships to line up, proposals to be written and partners to be found at U.S.A. Hockey. The Blues would have to agree to give up some home dates right around Christmas. There are some hurdles to this proposal, but there's time to get everything in order. The tournament moves to Russia next year then Sweden the year after and then back to Canada. So that's three years it can't be here. That's plenty of time to get the local hockey community (and don't be mistaken, it's strong and growing) mobilized and on board. The event for 2016 or 2018 could be here in St. Louis. And don't think it goes to Minneapolis every time it comes to the U.S. Buffalo and Grand Forks, N.D., have been the most recent American host cities. Surely St. Louis can beat out North Dakota.

This will be worth it. Organizers in Edmonton and Calgary estimated the attendance for the tournament at 475,000 and more than $42 million pumped into the local economy. This event means hotel rooms, restaurant reservations, rental cars, plane flights and bar tabs, not to mention Canadian-colored body paint.

Sir, St. Louis hockey fans would support this event. It would help the local economy and bring prestige to our city. I urge you and the St. Louis Sports Commission to explore hosting the World Junior Hockey Tournament sometime in this decade. With the commission's successful track record, I know a St. Louis bid would be competitive and a great opportunity for the city to be showcased on a new stage.

Thank you for your time.

Brad Lee, a St. Louis hockey fan

***

Anyone who would like to urge the St. Louis Sports Commission to pursue the World Juniors, email Mr. Viverito at fviverito@stlsports.org or send a message via Twitter to @STLSportsCom.

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Comments

The All Star Game was a blast

I would love to see us host the WJHT

"IF CARDS CAN SIGN SUPPAN THEY CAN GIVE ME A HOME"

by Buddhasillegitimatechild38 on Jan 4, 2012 9:46 AM CST via mobile reply actions

#BradLeeLovesTheWJC

by BleedBlue42 on Jan 4, 2012 10:06 AM CST via Android app reply actions

Sounds like a new Project Mayhem to me.

I once shot a man just to see him die...then I got distracted and missed it.

by TheDuke32 on Jan 4, 2012 10:18 AM CST reply actions

This.

I know it's time for hockey because I've started singing "Don't Stop Believing" with the words "...born and raised in FUCK DETRIOT!!!"

by J-Mill on Jan 4, 2012 10:31 AM CST via iPhone app reply actions

I'd pay money to go to this one.

Nice write-up, Brad.

Make it happen, Frank.

Fight Club writer for the print edition of St. Louis Game Time . . . I need another beer.
The Throwdown Lowdown Report, only on The Bluenote Zone.
And I can also write things in 140 characters or fewer.

by Donut King on Jan 4, 2012 4:02 PM CST reply actions

That would be awesome.

but it’d make me feel a bit behind the ball in terms of what i’ve doene with my life lol

Straight from the crazy unfiltered mind of a seventeen year-old Blues fan.
Goalie for life.
Reppin Southern Illinois.

by BulldogOshie on Jan 4, 2012 6:08 PM CST via Android app reply actions

I love the idea, but this thing is so tied to Hockey Canada it seems unlikely a non bordering state would get it. But it would be really cool and I’d buy tickets in a second.

I know it’s not the same stage, but did anyone else check out the two NCAA hockey events that were at Scottrade last year? Attendance at the Ice Breaker tournament was pretty light to say the least (upper bowl closed, lower bowl maybe a quarter full), and even the West regional didn’t draw that well with Jaden Schwartz’s Colorado College in the tournament (upper bowl closed, lower bowl maybe 2/3 full, possibly more when Michigan was playing). The frozen four did knock it out of park attendance wise when it was here, I believe it set a record at the time for the event.

Next year’s Icebreaker is in Kansas City, so that’s 2 college hockey tournaments and 3 events for a state that doesn’t even have a team. Good showing for Hockey in Missouri.

by bzgea2 on Jan 4, 2012 10:50 PM CST reply actions

I went to one of the games.

Don’t really remember which teams (we went to the Tap Room for an Oyster fest beforehand) but it was definitely fun. And definitely lightly attended.

I once shot a man just to see him die...then I got distracted and missed it.

by TheDuke32 on Jan 5, 2012 1:08 PM CST up reply actions

rec'd

like the Wild’s season. Losing again to Canucks 2-0

Just a chew toy for the hockey gods

by spectr17 on Jan 4, 2012 11:27 PM CST reply actions

WJC in STL

While I would certainly support new blood getting in on hosting the event, I would pose a couple caveats to Mr. Lee’s well written and well intentioned posting.

1) Unless the basketball arena at Saint Louis U can host hockey, the tourney would have to be shared with Kansas City’s Kemper Arena.

The Kemper Arena could be a good alternative for Blues “home games” should the Chaifetz Arena be adaptable to hockey. I’m saying one, maybe two games over the duration of the WJC should scheduling a road trip like what would be required prove impossible.

So there are options there to accommodate logistics. Not being a STL local, I don’t know if there are any other facilities available, but if there are, fine.

2) As anyone will likely be able to point out with a quick Google search, the only tourney’s that got over 200k in attendance were ALL in Canadia. This is likely one part facilities and one part passion. Passion does, however, fill facilities. In this year’s event they used 2 NHL arenas. Vancouver used a current and a former NHL arena. Ottawa had an NHL arena and a 10k seat arena. Grand Forks got 193k and their 2nd arena only held 2500. BUT…Grand Forks is ~340mi from Minneapolis and a scant 240km from Winnipeg. More important is the proximity to Winnipeg, which is, of course, Candada.

So. While I support the idea, I think using revenue and attendance figures from Calgary and Edmonton are inappropriate. Sure St. Louis and Kansas City are probably bigger (via Wikipedia, using metro areas), 5m to 2m – but Missouri, United States of Apathy to Hockey is not Alberta, Canuckistan. Christmas and New Years across the Great White North is synonymous with the WJC.

Maybe revise the attendance and revenues to 40% of those in Calgary and Edmonton and you might be more accurate. 30% is probably more likely. That’s still 142k people and $12m in hotels, parking, rental cars, and bar tabs. And probably $600,000 in Red/White body paint.

Otherwise, thank you for the thoughtful posting Mr Lee.

by M C on Jan 5, 2012 7:17 AM CST reply actions

St. Charles Family Arena.

Brad mentioned it briefly – it seats 10,000 for hockey, and is ~25 miles from downtown STL. There are also multiple other rinks in the area that can be used for daily practices.

Not to slight KC, but St. Louis has sufficient facilities to host the WJC without cross-state assistance.

by BleedBlue42 on Jan 5, 2012 9:26 AM CST up reply actions

Mistake

Sorry folks. I made an error when I said attendance has never been over 200k outside of Canada. It was 329k in Buffalo – just last year. I think I considered this year 2011 and started with 2010 for nosing around, thus missing Buffalo. But….let’s be honest…Buffalo is Canada South in hockey terms. Buffalo is 90km from the border. 12m people live in S. Ontario. Toronto (around 5.5m) is only 165km away. We know who was buying those tickets.

Thanks again for the great post, and thanks to BleedBlue42 on the heads up re: a second arena

by M C on Jan 5, 2012 10:29 AM CST up reply actions

I understand the impassioned argument for the WJC here in St. Louis and I applaud you for it. Honestly though, don’t you think the STLSC goes after such events? Don’t you think they clamor for every event with such magnitude that could provide vast sums of revenue for the city?

Doesn’t Canada hold every other WJC? That makes it all the more difficult to land it. To the point, it is an international event, every goddamn city in Europe, Canada, Northern and Eastern US is probably vying for it. Switzerland was going to host it in 2010 and backed out. That means they are very open to the idea of playing it in Europe. St. Louis must be low on the list of best suited cities. I am not sure an impassioned plea is going to make a heap of difference to the WJC people. I am even more unsure that your math plays out accurately. I wish it weren’t the case, but it’s reality. I hope I’m wrong.

by NaJaKwa on Jan 5, 2012 8:54 AM CST reply actions

I just feel it’s hubris to believe that out town is ready for such an event. Hockey is rooted firm here and the Blues have everything to do with that, but it is still not on a level that would draw the numbers required for such an event. I am sorry, but that is reality.

Imagine if you will, a city like Denver vying for an event like that. I don’t even see a city like that landing a tourney like this. It just doesn’t add up.

by NaJaKwa on Jan 5, 2012 9:02 AM CST up reply actions

Agreed. Too many hockey hotbeds on the border.

Having to compete with that would be impossible, at least at this time.

by openside on Jan 5, 2012 12:39 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

frozen four was here

final four was as well. final four almost always has one of the regional preliminary games in town if not the final four itself.

but if you have never been the frozen (or even final four) in st louis the atmosphere in the arena is radically different.

and i wonder how many st louisians would show up for the event as it is stretched out and at odd times and 32 games or so.

the USA just hosted this beast too, by-the-by, so i suspect the USA will not get it for a few more years to start with (Canada is its “home” and 10 nations showed up in the last one).

taking a stab at getting recognized as a potential spot would certainly produce positive results, but honestly i think i’d rather have the frozen four here again than the wjc.

and hell we haven’t had the all-star game since 1988 and the draft since 1996 and the outdoor game.. um ever.

go for em all! get Bettman back here on st. louis ice!!

And a harvest of righteousness is grown from the seed of peace planted by peacemakers.

by Childhood Trauma on Jan 5, 2012 1:27 PM CST reply actions