Organizers want 2023 World Juniors to be ‘Maritime-priced’

Organizers of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship say tickets to the $14-million event will be affordable and “Maritime-priced.”

The last time this tournament was held on East Coast was 2003 in Nova Scotia.

There are only eight months left before the next opportunity to host, so planning for Moncton-Halifax is on a fast track.

“Normally we would be on a two-year timeline,” saidDean McIntosh is Hockey Canada vice president of events and properties.

“But over the years, the model has been streamlined — even as the tournament has grown.”

McIntosh said the tight schedule gives less time to debate good ideas for the tournament, but it encourages organizers to “take action and go for it.”

This was one reason why the East Coast was chosen to host the 2022 championship that was originally given to Russia. However, it was rescheduled after the invasion of Ukraine.

Grant MacDonald, Halifax’s 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship local leader, said the news of hosting didn’t come as a complete shock.

“Halifax and Moncton had been working on the potential of co-hosting a world junior championship for the past two years,” MacDonald said. “We just expected it to be later in this decade.”

Hockey Canada hopes that the tournament will be a huge success and that all rinks, even those on the smaller side, will sell out.

“We expect that our communities will embrace it, we expect that our businesses will see a positive lift.”

MacDonald saidCapacity may be a problem.

“We may need to expand the fan experience beyond the four walls of both Avenir Centre and Scotiabank Centre.”

However, ticket sales is one of the most important pillars that will get things moving.

“We want to make sure that is affordable and that it is Maritime-priced,” said MacDonald.

While the tournament could cost upwards of $14 million, Hockey Canada claims it could have a $40-60,000,000 economic impact on New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

At least 150 volunteers are needed in each market by both host cities.

However, the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax is not concerned about finding the right staff.

Suzanne Fougere is the executive vice president for Events East. said a regular Mooseheads game takes “about 35 to 50 venue staff on any given night.“

“For an event like this, it will be closer to about 100 people on any given night,” Fougere said.

The event will take place from December 26 to January 5, 2023. Tickets will be available for purchase in the summer when volunteers are recruited.