RITA MINGO, SPECIAL TO CANADA WEST
CALGARY - It is, without argument, one of the most compelling nights in all of Canadian university sports.
It's known as the Crowchild Classic.
Preparation begins in earnest months prior to this extravaganza. Two institutions putting forth their staunchest efforts to shine a massive spotlight on Canada West hockey by creating a unique event for their students and student-athletes
For the seventh straight season, the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University - separated by nine kilometres on Crowchild Trail - work in tandem to showcase their on-ice talent to Calgarians by way of the Classic, featuring the women's game followed by the men's at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
UC relies on the efforts of some 50-plus individuals to make sure the evening goes without a hitch, MRU a comparable number. Be it off-ice officials, broadcast crew, social media, accreditation people, give-aways, mascots …
Ah, yes, the battles aren't just on the ice.
There are a lot of moving pieces and they must all be heading in a similar direction.
"There have not been two years where everything has been the same," admits Dinos Assistant Athletic Director Ben Matchett, who has been involved in all of them.
"There have not been two years where everything has been the same." - Ben Matchett, UC
The 2019 edition is the first to actually sell tickets, a nominal $5. The decision to charge fans was because the last two years the event was sold out (14,500).
"People were reserving tickets and not showing up," explains Matchett. "Four thousand tickets were not used and people were being turned away at the door. This is a good problem to have but in order to mitigate that and make sure that everyone that wants to be there can be there, it was time to charge for tickets."
The game is also to be held on a Tuesday instead of the habitual Thursday, another wrinkle in the schedule.
ONE WEEK OUT
The Dinos' staff in charge of the Classic - who have been planning since early December - meet one last time to go over details. There are three key elements to the gathering: confirming staff, the social media plan for the rest of the week leading up to Tuesday, and game-day communications.
At this time, there are just under 8,000 seats sold.
One thorny issue: cheerleaders were told they couldn't come because of concourse space, but last year the Cougars did have a squad. It's something that must be addressed.
Transportation, dressing rooms and meals for players are taken care of, obviously a priority.
One of the items discussed is to make sure Rex, Calgary's mascot, will be there. This dinosaur wouldn't miss it for the world.
"It's so much more fun because you have more people to interact with," bellows Rex, through his interpreter. "You're going to have so many people who are excited to be there, everyone looks forward to it. It's a much more exciting game and I don't take a lot of breaks. You want to get to every group, every row, and spend time with people.
"Me and the MRU mascot (Calvin the cougar), we interact. We fight … and that's always fun. It's a lot more boisterous than other games."
This is the biggest Dinos' hosted event of the season in terms of attendance, though the Kickoff football game and basketball's Pack the Jack are other huge events.
As it's being held in the Saddledome, it isn't only Dinos and Cougars staff that have a say in the proceedings. The Calgary Flames are a significant player, as well.
"I feel there will be a thousand details (at that meeting)," suggests Matchett.
And, indeed, there are.
SIX DAYS OUT
Representatives of the Flames, Cougars and Dinos meet in Boardroom 2 at the 'Dome to go over the minutiae that hasn't changed a whole lot from the six previous seasons. One thing is certain, the e-mails will continue to fly over the next six days with alarming frequency between the three parties.
Ticket update: just over 9,000.
Talk touches on suite availability and whether concession will be open on the terrace level.
Last-minute items the Flames people are waiting for: scripts, commercials, puck drop participants, names of off-ice officials, winners of the Harley Hotchkiss hockey scholarship, the overtime format, captains names, staffing, three-star selection procedure …
In terms of staffing, at the Flames' end there will be anywhere between 500 and 750, a typical night at the 'Dome.
Wristbands will get one throughout the building: blue for event level, yellow for press box, and green for VIP suites. A veritable rainbow on your arm.
And what about that cheerleaders' controversy? Last year, the MRU dance team showed up on its own. So Calgary is free to have its own contingent.
FIVE DAYS OUT
The MRU team, seven individuals, gathers to go over eleventh-hour prep. This is, after all, the biggest night on the sporting calendar for a university that began competing in Canada West athletics in 2012.
"The Crowchild Classic is an institutional event at Mount Royal," notes Katya Sodamin, MRU Cougars Marketing and Partnership Manager, who has overseen six of them. "It's become a pivotal point for our institution in celebrating the Mount Royal spirit and bringing our community together.
"There's definitely an anticipation that grows all year for this event. While we never lose sight of the fact these are two important hockey games to our men's and women's programs … that's at the front of our minds … the planning is incredible. The anticipation grows, the excitement grows; we have a lot of fun planning for this event."
Ticket count early on this day: 9,509.
People are asking why they're paying this year, but it's not seen as a deterrent.
"I've had a number of students comment about the cost … but it's not overwhelming to a point where they're not buying tickets, clearly by the numbers," suggests Sodamin. "It's nothing that struck a negative chord."
The school held a pep rally on this day, with a number of tickets sold.
Security and safety is touched on. There are seven constables and one sergeant in attendance. No alcohol or backpacks are allowed on the buses leaving from MRU residences and volunteers are reminded that they are not to intervene in any altercation, since no one has the right level of security training.
There should be a large contingent of students decked in blue, as Cougar wear has virtually sold out.
Men's head coach Bert Gilling, who was on local sports radio and one of the TV stations, will also be around early in the week to promote the event.
GAME DAY
Over the years, the games have garnered some outstanding crowds, the largest of which was 12,859 in 2016, a record attendance involving U SPORTS hockey teams.
This year, 11,490 crammed into the 'Dome (close to 14,000 tickets were actually sold), with proceeds split 50-50 and put toward each school's student wellness initiatives. There is, in fact, a Mental Health Awareness booth set up in the concourse, attracting its share of attention while handing out free hot chocolate.
As a fan, you not only get the opportunity to watch some pretty good hockey in a party-like atmosphere, but there's the opportunity to win tuition - no small thing for any student.
Well-known faces dot the crowd, from wrestler Bret 'The Hitman' Hart to Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi to the province's Lieutenant Governor Lois Mitchell. But there's no sign of cheerleaders or dancers, though they're apparently here somewhere. A non-issue, after all.
On the ice, the Dinos take the women's game 2-1, giving them a 5-2 record in the series. In the men's, the nationally sixth-ranked Dinos make it four wins in seven tries with a last-second 2-1 victory. Both men's squads are playoff-bound, so there's much more at stake for both this post-season.
But on this night, the winners beget Crowchild Classic bragging rights, at least until next season when they get to do it all over again.
Credits:
David Moll, Jim Corry, Calgary Flames, Calgary Dinos, MRU Cougars