There was some big hockey news in Quebec this morning, as we learned that the Los Angeles Kings will be coming to Quebec City for two preparatory games. First, the Bruins will be in town on October 3, 2024, followed by the Panthers two days later.
This was great news for a city that will once again have the opportunity to prove that it deserves to host major hockey events.
But then it became clear that this was a costly announcement, and I mean that in the first degree: the provincial government paid several million dollars to lure the Kings to town during their preparatory schedule.
With so many people in Quebec having to tighten their belts, it’s understandably hard to swallow that so much public money was spent on two hockey games (preparatory ones, no less).
Seeing Éric Girard put money into this makes people wonder about the management of public funds 🤨
Source : Sébastien Bovet pic.twitter.com/Vm3bNJhoVL
– DansLesCoulisses (@DLCoulisses) November 14, 2023
But hey, some just assumed that was the price of hosting two games outside of one of the NHL’s 32 markets. It’s a big expense, sure, but “that’s the price you pay” for having sporting events in Quebec City.
Except that…
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According to Alexandre Pratt (La Presse) tonight, there was another option on the table for hosting NHL hockey in the capital: the CH had also raised its hand to play a game in Quebec City.
What was the cost in public funds to make it happen? $0.
That’s right. Not a single dollar of public money.
NEW – Are you outraged by the subsidy for Kings games? Wait a minute. The CH has offered to play at the Centre Vidéotron without any government assistance, in the fall of 2024.
Gestev said no, France Margaret Bélanger confirmed to me https://t.co/GehV2YfkxI– Alexandre Pratt (@alexandrepratt) November 14, 2023
So, in the end, the government is going to pay $5 million (and maybe even more) to three foreign owners who aren’t exactly short of cash to host two NHL games, when it might not have had to pay a single dollar to host a CH game.
France Margaret Bélanger, who was behind the project, notes that the club wanted to rent the Centre Vidéotron and be its own promoter. Not a single taxpayer dollar would have been needed to make it all happen.
So who is to blame for this decision, which is going to go right down a lot of people’s throats? According to Groupe CH’s President (Sports and Entertainment), the refusal came from Gestev, the Quebecor subsidiary that manages the Centre Vidéotron.
So, in the end, it’s because of a Quebecor subsidiary’s decision that the government ends up paying millions of dollars in public money to American team owners. And I have to tell you, it lifts my heart.
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I almost hope there’s another reason for this decision that isn’t mentioned, because right now, everyone looks bad.
And, in fact, everyone looks even worse when you learn that, in the past, the CH had to pay for the opposing team when they hosted a game in Quebec City, even though they didn’t get a penny. I’m not saying I’d have wanted the government to give millions to the Tricolore, far from it, but something’s not right here.
5M for the Kings’ visit to Quebec City, colleague @GasconAlexandre points out that the Canadiens never received any public money to come and play exhibition games at the Centre Vidéotron, even though the CH covered the opposing team’s travel expenses. #polqc pic.twitter.com/WeoIVb9xfI
– Mathieu Gohier (@MathieuGohier) November 14, 2023
If the Canadiens’ project was turned down for the simple reason that Quebecor didn’t want to host the CH in the Centre Vidéotron, that’s pretty ordinary. I’d like to think otherwise, but the combination of all these elements makes me think it’s absurd to dismiss this theory.
Because at $5 million in public money, the rivalry (between two private groups) takes on disproportionate proportions.
I really invite you to read Alexandre Pratt’s text on this subject (which I’m reposting HERE). He also raises the excellent point that many of the province’s sports centers are waiting for money that isn’t forthcoming to renovate their facilities and allow Quebecers to enjoy them.
Did I mention that this whole thing stinks to high heaven?
In short
– Great read on Pierre Turgeon.
“It always warms my heart when I come back to Montreal” – Pierre Turgeon
The newest member of the Hockey Hall of Fame reflects on the emotions of the last few days in Toronto. https://t. co/hHa4LKHf2c
– J-F Chaumont (@JFChaumontJDM) November 14, 2023
– Good listening.
Another great moment with this Zone Exit, in which we settle all Canadien problems, and more: https://t.co/y5cA8z8lql
– Richard Labbé (@Richardlabbe) November 14, 2023
– Filip Mesar’s mentality has changed this year.
Canadiens weekly notebook: Sean Monahan’s and Kaiden Guhle’s rising importance, breaking down a pivotal 5v3 and checking in on Filip Mešár in Kitchener https://t.co/mD2wBFfGV0
– Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) November 14, 2023
– Antoine Roussel likes what he sees of Juraj Slafkovský. [98,5 Sports]
– The same goes for Stéphane Waite, by the way.
Stéphane Waite isn’t worried about Juraj Slafkovsky’s development:
“In a few years, he’ll be the one shuffling the opponent, coming out on top in one-on-one battles, being in the enclave all the time, and he’ll be hard to stop!”
At 🎙️ from @LangloisMario pic.twitter.com/gVxCtrBQWQ
– 98,5 Sports (@985Sports) November 14, 2023