Out of Left Field has learned that the 2009 and 2010 Vanier Cup will be held in Ste. Foy, Que. on the campus of Laval University. The CIS will announce the decision later today.
Laval's bid came with several demands. Officials there were unwilling to accept the game for just 2009, would not commit to putting lights in for the '09 event and are requiring the CIS to move the event up one week on the calendar to Nov 21, 2009 and Nov 20, 2010*.
Additionally, the Quebec group insisted that the game be awarded to them prior to this Christmas.
The CIS received several bids following this past year's Vanier Cup. In addition to Laval, bids from Saint Mary's for both '09 and '10, Western for '10, Calgary for '10 and the Hamilton-based sports marketing group MRX with a variety of options, were submitted.
Initially it looked as if Laval would be awarded the game by default, as it was the only bidder until early this month. However, the CIS delayed the decision after the other bids came in.
According to an official close to one of the failed bids, the CIS did not handle the process well.
"They are making up the rules on this bid process as they go along," he said. "They told us all they needed from us was a letter of intent and a basic bid package which talked about plans in broad terms. That would allow them to make their decision and allow us to put together a cost study and proper package for January."
But, that didn't happen, he said. After telling the group that the bid "looked good" and that they expected it to be successful, the CIS changed direction and gave the games to Laval.
"Then the CIS calls yesterday as they're making their decision and they tell us that the bid package was incomplete -- that they didn't have enough information to base a decision on, and they'll be giving it to Laval.
"Our president was fit to be tied last night."
Although the official suggests that Laval will "put on a hell of a party," he said that the demand to push the schedule up a week will cost each program in Canada about $15-20,000 extra.
"It screws every school in Canada," he said.
Laval argued that bumping the game up a week was necessary to keep it away from the Grey Cup. It could be better marketed that way, university officials suggested.
Related: The official press release
EDIT: * Although Laval had demanded that the game be moved back one week -- and my story relected the best information I had at the time -- it appears that the university has backed off that request. According to the CIS the game will be played on Grey Cup weekend once again.
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So the OUA will have to bump up their schedule by a week. The sked they released just a couple of days ago will have to be done over?
Will it mean one less OUA game on the Score, as the Score does usually start covering the games until the week after Labour day weekend.
Trying to get answers to those questions now...
If true about extra costs in bumping up the season, teams will probably not be able to afford a pre-season exhibition game or controlled scrimmage.
Some players , who have summer jobs, will miss some wages. Out of town players may have to pay an extra weeks rent.
A regular season game before school starts may impact on attendance. No students.
A week earlier may help Laval with the marketing, but it may be the other schools who pay for it.
Duane's too modest to pass this on, but he and Out of Left Field got mentioned on the FAN 590 today!
And Hogie and Tother also played the Honky-Tonk Man's theme, which couldn't have anything to do with this.
By the way, Hogan stumped his listeners on The Bullpen with this trivia question: "Who is the former Guelph Gryphons linebacker who is now general manager of the Atlanta Falcons?"
None of the three contestants were able to name Tom Dimitroff.
By the way, who did make the last out on last NBC Game of the Week, Duane? Larry Sheets?
Anyway, to get back to the post, I figured out that the OUA would have to start the season on Aug. 29 in order to fit eight regular-season games and three rounds of playoffs.
Yep, Larry Sheets swung through a Tom Henke split finger for 1098 east clinher.
Weren't those the days...
The 1989 one too. Long career they had...
I do not agree with having the games moved up a week to start - not even for cost reasons for the schools (although it does effect everyone really except the "price is no matter" Laval program) but because it likely will end up costing a number of students some much needed money from summer jobs.
I'll wait to hear more but just initially it feels like the CIS has abandoned the best interest of student athletes with this move.
Well, the official CIS press release says next season's championship game will be Nov. 28. Then again, this isn't a sports association that kind of plays Calvinball, so who knows?
Mike's right, the OUA and Canada West could not start any earlier. Ontario would have to lose a round of playoffs; Canada West would have to lose a team.
Yes from the official press release it appears that it will not be moved up and really that was my only concern. It states the game will be on Nov. 28th so that's good, no changes there. I'm glad that's one demand of the Laval bid that was shot down.
I haven't heard anything about the lights at Peps. Will there be any? With a 2pm start time in Hamilton this year it was dark by the end of the game. With the sun setting about 45 minutes earlier in Quebec City they'll need to start the game at noon! What will the tv people think about this?
My info says no lights in 2009, lights in 2010. That probably means a noon start, which will suck for the west.
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