Hockey Canada hosted news conferences in Vancouver and Victoria Thursday to launch ticket-sales for the 2019 World Jr Hockey Championships starting on Boxing Day next year.
Vancouver and Victoria will co-host the international hockey tournament. It's the second time Vancouver has been primary host, and the first time for Victoria.
Hockey Canada officials revealed there will be 14 games held in Victoria -- including 2 pre-competition games and 2 quarter finals. The lineup will be determined by January 6th when the standings in Buffalo are set.
CEO Tom Rennie says he expects BC fans to "represent" and fill the stands at Save On Foods Memorial Centre and Rogers Arena. He and Dean McIntosh, Hockey Canada's senior director of events, says tickets are being kept affordable for fans:
Rennie: "We're right in that junior price range actually. So I mean we've tried to make it as palatable as possible for the locals, no question of that. And I think it's around that $28 ticket range."
McIntosh: "$28 is the sweet spot, and over half of the tickets in the building will be at that price range."
Rennie says pre-sales to Vancouver Canucks, Vancouver Giants, and Victoria Royals season ticket holders exceeded expectations.
"We've had a real good opportunity to look at Toronto and Montreal these last 2 hosting opportunities in Canada.And looking at the combination of Victoria, a smaller market, mid-sized market if you will, and Vancouver, you know we looked at the opportunity to really come out of the gate maybe a little differently that in those other cities. And with that being said the pre-sales were, the day that they went on sale right away matched what was in Toronto ... Montreal a little bit slower - we expected that ... matched what what Toronto was able to do on a per capita basis. And that's impressive."
The event runs from Boxing Day next year to January 5th, 2019. It's the 13th time Canada has hosted the international tournament.