When you travel to an out-of-town tournament, you expect to be treated royally. Welcome gifts for kids or player of the game awards are often part of the formula. Playing in the host community's best rink is a given.
Or not. At least if you're heading to Kingston, Ont., where a debate has erupted over whether or not hockey tournaments should be held in the city's spiffy new four-pad facility.
The local economic development department wants the new facility to be the headquarters for tournaments. Why not? Well, at least one minor hockey official says it's not fair because it bumps local players to lesser facilities.
Seriously. When you invite company, don't you clean up a bit and use the best china?
Tournaments, when well organized, are fantastic cash cows for local associations and a major boost for local hotels and restaurants. The economic development people see this.
To follow the Kingston debate, start with this story from the Whig-Standard and read through to the many comments posted at the bottom of the newspaper story.
Seriously? Of course tournaments use a city's best arena as the home base. League games can be played on week days.
ReplyDeleteDuh. Nothing more civilized than always going to the same arena for games in a new city and have a comfortable lobby to kill time in.
ReplyDelete