QMJHL Thread 2018-19

[lirette]

Originally Posted by q12

8,086 in attendance.

Every Halifax home game this year has had an attendance of over 8,000.

You'll likely see that trend continue throughout the year. Memorial Cup year is always a huge boost in attendance but especially when you are one of the best markets in the CHL. The entire lower bowl is basically sold out for every game due to season ticket holders. On ticket atlantic you actually have to go 8-9 rows up into the upper bowl if you want 2 walkup tickets together for any game.

[theshark]

Well, the Titan coach is leaving citing family reasons, who ever takes his job has some work to do to get us back on track.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Interesting that the top six teams in league attendance are in the only six cities in the Q that Gilles Courteau says are capable of holding a Memorial Cup.

With both Chicoutimi and Gatineau on the path to building new arenas both of them will be eligible to host Memorial Cup tournaments in 3-5 years.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by JHikka

With both Chicoutimi and Gatineau on the path to building new arenas both of them will be eligible to host Memorial Cup tournaments in 3-5 years.

How much seating will the Chicoutimi rink have?

There must be a minimum size to host a Memorial Cup..........

[theshark]

If i’m not mistaken its 5000

[MonctonianSentinel01]

Gatineau will have a new 4000 seat arena at a cost of $79 million. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...-arena-complex
Chicoutimi will have a new 5000 seat arena at a cost of $80 million. https://www.lequotidien.com/actualit...6c0a079ff71b76

[JHikka]

Thanks for the information folks.

AFAIK there is no official minimum size to host a Memorial Cup. There are a lot of things at play, of course: size of arena, quality of arena, availability of amenities, market size, availability of amenities in market, etc. A comination of these would effectively disqualify most smaller arenas and markets.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by MonctonianSentinel01

Gatineau will have a new 4000 seat arena at a cost of $79 million. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...-arena-complex
Chicoutimi will have a new 5000 seat arena at a cost of $80 million. https://www.lequotidien.com/actualit...6c0a079ff71b76

Good stuff. I was aware of the new arena in Gatineau, but I didn't know that a new rink was in the works for Chicoutimi too. It's good to see rinks around the Q being upgraded or replaced.

5000 is a good size for Chicoutimi. Looks like a nice facility.



• Video Link

I see that they're going for an attached parking structure. While I am happy there is no attached structure at the Avenir Centre, I again note the refusal of the city to locate a parking garage near our new arena.

[MonctonRad]

Here's the new Gatineau arena.



It will be a 4 Ice arena, with one rink having seating for 4000 for the Olympiques.

Reading the article, I see that Gatineau is pitching in a $25M parking structure for this complex as well.

Ahem - Moncton????

[Scarface]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Here's the new Gatineau arena.



It will be a 4 Ice arena, with one rink having seating for 4000 for the Olympiques.

Reading the article, I see that Gatineau is pitching in a $25M parking structure for this complex as well.

Ahem - Moncton????

To be fair Moncton's 4 ice arena does have parking

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Reading the article, I see that Gatineau is pitching in a $25M parking structure for this complex as well.

Indeed, and it's also on Gatineau's Rapibus (rapid bus) transit line at La-Cité station.

Since you're fascinated with this subject I should note that Blainville's new arena does not have a parking structure adjacent or anywhere near it whatsoever.

[lirette]

I think it should be worth noting that the arena in Gatineau will be far more suburban than the Avenir Centre in terms of location. I'm not sure the 2 are comparable in terms of parking when the Gatineau arena looks to be in an industrial park from my google maps investigation.

At the current moment I don't see an argent need for a parking structure next to the avenir centre. I would still love to see one however if it means replacing chunks of surface parking downtown and then opening up some development opportunities.

I'm glad to see the QMJHL is starting to upgrade their buildings. In terms of the 3 leagues the Q definitely sits last in overall building quality but does haveprobably the 2 nicest facilities in the Videotron Centre & Avenir Centre. Some of the older facilities in the league have gone through some interesting upgrades like in Baie Comeau, Valdor & Rouyn. All 3 have added large video boards, which look funny in facilities that look like community rink, but are important parts of the modern experience.

One of my favourite upgrades is in Baie Comeau where they added these "suites" in the corner behind one of the nets




If you are an arena nerd I highly recommend http://www.qmjhlarenaguide.com/ which has pictures and descriptions of all the Q arenas, as well as some great photos of the past arenas. The creator of the site recently visited the Avenir Centre. He's London based and also has sites on the OHL & WHL.

[q12]

Originally Posted by lirette

I'm glad to see the QMJHL is starting to upgrade their buildings. In terms of the 3 leagues the Q definitely sits last in overall building quality but does haveprobably the 2 nicest facilities in the Videotron Centre & Avenir Centre.

The old Quebec Colisée had a way better junior hockey experience. The Scotiabank Centre is now probably the best junior hockey experience in the country. Sort of like the New York Ranger's MSG of the NHL.



• Video Link

[lirette]

Originally Posted by q12

The old Quebec Colisée had a way better junior hockey experience. The Scotiabank Centre is now probably the best junior hockey experience in the country. Sort of like the New York Ranger's MSG of the NHL.

All thats fair. Not really what my post was about though. For a long time the QMJHL was really lagging behind the other 2 leagues in terms of quality buildings and I'm happy to see it catching up with new buildings & older ones getting renovations. It does however already have some arenas with great character. I've always wanted to experience a playoff game in Val'Dor, Rouyn or Baie Comeau. Very Unique.

Its unfortunate that if the Cats were to play Halifax in the playoffs this season I'd be unlikely to get tickets. I don't have much interest in going as a visiting fan and sitting high in the upper bowl at the Scotiabank Centre. One of my favourite memories as a junior hockey fan was he in 2015 against Halifax. Halifax had won the first 2 games of the series in Moncton leaving us pretty devastated but me and a couple buddies took 2 days off work to go up for games 3 & 4 in Halifax and Moncton took both games in a crazy atmosphere, both 1 goal games including 1 in OT. That year we were able to get pretty good seats in the lower bowl

As a visiting fan there is nothing harder on your heart rate than a close game in the opponents team rink wearing your teams gear. We had a few characters shouting things at us but we walked raced outta there to head to the lower deck to celebrate!

The Cats went on to win game 7 at the Coliseum in the best atmosphere I've ever experienced there since either Presidents Cup/Memorial Cup year.

I wish the Cats had good videographers then who had some footage of that they could use in promos. The team has only really stepped up its production quality the last couple years.

[Bishop2047]

Originally Posted by lirette

I think it should be worth noting that the arena in Gatineau will be far more suburban than the Avenir Centre in terms of location. I'm not sure the 2 are comparable in terms of parking when the Gatineau arena looks to be in an industrial park from my google maps investigation.

At the current moment I don't see an argent need for a parking structure next to the avenir centre. I would still love to see one however if it means replacing chunks of surface parking downtown and then opening up some development opportunities.

I'm glad to see the QMJHL is starting to upgrade their buildings. In terms of the 3 leagues the Q definitely sits last in overall building quality but does haveprobably the 2 nicest facilities in the Videotron Centre & Avenir Centre. Some of the older facilities in the league have gone through some interesting upgrades like in Baie Comeau, Valdor & Rouyn. All 3 have added large video boards, which look funny in facilities that look like community rink, but are important parts of the modern experience.

One of my favourite upgrades is in Baie Comeau where they added these "suites" in the corner behind one of the nets




If you are an arena nerd I highly recommend http://www.qmjhlarenaguide.com/ which has pictures and descriptions of all the Q arenas, as well as some great photos of the past arenas. The creator of the site recently visited the Avenir Centre. He's London based and also has sites on the OHL & WHL.

Really nice to be able to tour the arenas of the CHL. Thanks for posting. Wish Fredericton had a team now that I live here. UNB is great to watch but there just aren't those city vs city rivalies like in the CHL.

Will say the St Thomas vs UNB games are a hoot though.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by lirette

I think it should be worth noting that the arena in Gatineau will be far more suburban than the Avenir Centre in terms of location. I'm not sure the 2 are comparable in terms of parking when the Gatineau arena looks to be in an industrial park from my google maps investigation.
.

It's not really in an industrial park at all. You might call the area a "secondary downtown" that is under development. It already has office buildings, a college, another sports centre with pools, gyms and courts, a library, a performing arts centre, cinemas, restaurants, cafés, a health centre, a major transit station, etc.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Acajack

It's not really in an industrial park at all. You might call the area a "secondary downtown" that is under development. It already has office buildings, a college, another sports centre with pools, gyms and courts, a library, a performing arts centre, cinemas, restaurants, cafés, a health centre, a major transit station, etc.

It's a dreadful arena, though. Straight out of the 1970s. Easily my least favourite CHL arena i've been to....although i'll miss it when it's replaced by a big box arena.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by JHikka

It's a dreadful arena, though. Straight out of the 1970s. Easily my least favourite CHL arena i've been to....although i'll miss it when it's replaced by a big box arena.

You talking about the Vieux-Bob?

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Acajack

You talking about the Vieux-Bob?

Ouais. It feels like it hasn't been updated in decades. I love older arenas for their aesthetic and atmosphere...new buildings simply can't match an older, low-ceiling, boxtight seating arrangement, along with the individuality that older buildings have.

I'll be sad to see it go but the new building is badly needed.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Acajack

You talking about the Vieux-Bob?

I think he is.

I like that - "Old Bob"........