Terriers look to host Cup in 2016

The Yorkton Terriers are headed to the Western Canada Cup Friday, and a delegation from the team is heading to Nanaimo for some tips on how to host the tournament as the team will make a bid to host the Cup in the spring of 2016.

"We're putting it together," said bid representative Dave Baron, and one of four headed to Nanaimo. "We've been at it about a year at a low key level."

Baron said there a number of reasons they are making a bid to host on behalf of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.

"First I think Yorkton deserves it," he said, noting the last big Junior hockey event was the 2005 World Junior 'A' Challenge. "There hasn't been a big event here in a while.

"Here's a chance. It's a chance to celebrate hockey."

The trip west is not one to determine Terrier interest, but rather one to observe and learn from the inaugural event, said Baron.

"We want to validate we're on the right track," he said. " We want to fly flags that 'yes we're here and yes we're interested'," he said

Baron said while hockey is at the forefront of such an event, they want the Yorkton bid to be more encompassing.

"We want to celebrate the Parkland through the excitement of hockey," he said, adding that means everything from canola and potash to perogies have a role in the celebrations.

We want it to be an event rather than just a hockey tournament."

As host the bid committee will be responsible for the costs of the five teams from the time they leave their home cities until they return home.

With the cost of the actual tournament operations added, Baron said they will have a budget near $500,000. He said the preliminary budget numbers "haven't broken five (hundred thousand), but it's in sight."

The Cup will also need a legion of volunteers, said Baron, but that is something they will work on nearer the event if they get the league nod.

"Once we get there, there'll be so many little jobs. It's unbelievable the number of volunteers we'll need," he said, adding once they get the bid he is confident people will be there to help.

Yorkton will not be alone in bidding for the SJHL year to host, said Baron, noting Estevan with its new arena has already announced its intentions.

"They have a tremendous building down there," he said, adding oil money will help with sponsorships too.

"They will be formidable opponents," he said.

That is why the Terrier bid will focus on being a bigger event.

"We want to celebrate hockey, past, present, and into the future," he said.