The stage is being set for the return of the Memorial Cup to 91大黄鸭 in 2020.
The 91大黄鸭 Rockets will host the four-team, 10-day tournament and festival in May of next year, and the Rockets, alongside the city, are continuing the steps to prepare.
鈥淲e have been able to complete the groundwork required for this tournament and we are now excited to get the community involved in this incredible national event,鈥� said Tom Dyas, Memorial Cup committee chair.
READ MORE: 2020 Memorial Cup to be a 91大黄鸭-wide event
The Rockets announced the pricing for the Memorial Cup early on Friday, with special deals being available for Rockets鈥� season tickets holders.
Current season tickets holders have first dibs at Memorial Cup tickets, while fans looking to purchase 2019/2020 season tickets will be next in line for cup tickets.
Ticket packages start at around $567 for the six round-robin games, semifinals and final game. More information can be found .
The may not be in this years playoffs, but all focus has turned to 2020.
鈥� Mack Britton (@MackBrittonBC)
The 91大黄鸭 Rockets were bounced out of the playoffs in early March, the first time the team hasn鈥檛 advanced since 2007, so Rockets鈥� general manager Bruce Hamilton and staff are focusing on developing the best team possible for the 2020 Memorial Cup.
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READ MORE: Rockets鈥� rookie grabs awards at season鈥檚 end
The cup invites the winners of the three league of the CHL, the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL, into one best-of-the-best tournament. The host city, which will be 91大黄鸭 in 2020, gets an automatic berth into the tournament as the fourth team.
鈥淲hen I look at our hockey club, I feel we need to add probably four players, and we鈥檙e into that already. I鈥檓 confident that we鈥檒l get the players we need to make us even more competitive,鈥� said Hamilton.
READ MORE: Rockets to pick 5th at 2019 WHL Bantam Draft
Popular 91大黄鸭 Rockets鈥� icon Josh Gorges, who was part of the Rockets鈥� winning team in 2004 when 91大黄鸭 last hosted the cup and is now part of the current Rockets鈥� front-house, said that the 2004 experience was something he鈥檒l always remember.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to explain, we didn鈥檛 know as players at the time, we were kids, really you don鈥檛 know what to expect, you don鈥檛 know what the city is going to be like,鈥� said Gorges. 鈥淪eeing the people walk around in their jerseys, seeing the buzz, you could feel it.鈥�
鈥淚t might have been one of the best Memorial Cup up to that point.鈥�
鈥淚t was amazing to see what this city did and got behind this team.鈥� - Josh Gorges on his Memorial Cup experience. Is excited for 2020.
鈥� Mack Britton (@MackBrittonBC)
The Rockets鈥� won the bid to the 2020 Memorial Cup in October 2018. It will be nationally broadcast and will invite hockey fans from North America to 91大黄鸭 for the 10-day citywide event.
Dyas, alongside Tourism 91大黄鸭 and the City of 91大黄鸭, said the tournament will be welcomed back to 91大黄鸭 with open arms.
鈥淲e know this tournament is going to continue to showcase 91大黄鸭 as a world-class destination,鈥� said Dyas.
鈥淎nd will last in the memories of not just hockey fans but also the residents of the Okanagan Valley.鈥�
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