2010 RBC Cup Total Success:

This is posted on the MJHL website:

RBC Cup total success: Daley

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

By Loelei Leona

MJHL Web Correspondent

It came. It went. It conquered.

The recent RBC Cup staged in Dauphin was an overwhelming success in every aspect: on the ice, in the stands and in the business community.

The atmosphere surrounding the tournament was “excellent”, according to RBC Cup Chair, Randy Daley.

“It started from day one when the special events people put on the opening ceremonies...it was really well done,” he says.

“It set the hook that this was going to be something really special.”

“I mean, the first day of games had two overtimes. We couldn’t have written a better script,” he continues. “From there it took off like wildfire...everyone wanted to be a part of it and experience it somehow.”

But in order to ensure that the Cup was a success, Daley says that a lot of work was put into its preparation.

“One of the main keys was making sure that we had good volunteer people in key positions so that it would run smoothly from the beginning of the planning process to the operational end of it,” Daley explains.

“Each of the directors in those positions recruited their own people, so I think that that was a major key in making the tournament a success.”

The RBC Cup, which attracted thousands of fans from all over during its nine days in Dauphin, had the city bustling with energy and people.

“It was fairly significant,” Daley says of the economic impact the tournament had on the community.

“We don’t have the official number yet...but walking around the city you could see that the restaurants and hotels were busy and full. People were billeting out their homes.”

The RBC Cup conducted an economic impact study during the tournament, the results of which will be available next month.

With the amount of people out to support the tournament and the excitement that surrounded the games, the RBC Cup was also able to shed some light on the hockey community in Manitoba.

“I think in a lot of ways, like in ticket sales, we dragged out in the beginning because no one really had a baseline to compare it to,” explains Daley.

“If you haven’t been to an RBC Cup before, you don’t really know the kind of hockey you’re in for, but once people got a taste of it, it spread around,” he says.

“I think it definitely added some credibility to the league.”

The overall success of the RBC Cup, the league’s growing credibility, and its efforts to build suitable facilities (like the one being built in Portage), should lead Manitoba to be future contenders for hosting another RBC Cup in the future.

“Yes, I think you’re right,” Daley says of the possibility for Hockey Canada to return the tournament to Manitoba.

“When you have good buildings and hockey communities, like Portage or Dauphin, it makes it easier to put in a successful bid.”


“Hockey Canada has a good foundation and credibility to bring it back here.”