The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Hockey Canada announced on Thursday that the 2003 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, held December 26, 2002 to January 5, 2003 in Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia achieved a record profit of $3.68 million that will benefit various hockey programs across Canada. The previous record profit for the IIHF World Junior Championship was set in 1999 in Winnipeg and communities throughout Manitoba, when the partners split a total of $2,041,000. The net profit from the 2003 IIHF World Junior Championship, which totaled $3,684,000, will be split between the partners and hosts of the event: Hockey Canada will receive 50 percent ($1,842,000) The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) will receive 35 percent ($1,290,000) The remaining 15 percent of net profit will be shared between Hockey Nova Scotia and the other 12 Branches of Hockey Canada. Hockey Nova Scotia, as the event host will receive $288,000. The 12 remaining Branches of Hockey Canada across Canada will each receive $22,000. The proceeds going to Hockey Canada will be put into its growth fund to benefit and assist future funding of national development programs as well as reinvesting into Canada's high performance programs such as Canada's National Junior and Under-18 teams. The Canadian Hockey League will divide the earnings amongst its three leagues and teams, while the profits for Hockey Nova Scotia will go into their legacy fund. Hockey Canada Branches will benefit minor hockey across Canada, funding current programs as well as new initiatives, as directed by each Branch. The 2003 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship also achieved record numbers in attendance and television ratings on TSN/RDS. A total of 242,173 people attended the 31 games held in Halifax and Sydney during the event, smashing the previous record of 173,453 set by Winnipeg in 1999. TSN/RDS's live coverage of the Canada vs. Russia gold medal game from Halifax drew the largest audience in the network's 19-year history with a national average minute audience of 3,446,000 viewers (2+). Audience levels peaked at 4,158,000 viewers from 9 p.m. - 9:30 pm. ET (the final 30 minutes of the game.) TSN/RDS's coverage of Team Canada's six games averaged a record-setting 1,564,000 viewers. Canada's National Junior team finished with a silver medal at the 2003 event, losing to the Russians 3-2 in the final game of the Championship. "There is no question that the host committees of Halifax and Sydney hosted an extremely successful event, achieving record attendance, record television ratings and record profits, " said Bob Nicholson, President, Hockey Canada. "Our hats go off to the hundreds of volunteers who dedicated their time and effort prior to and during last year's World Juniors, and thank you to hockey fans across Canada for their support of the event." "The record profit is indicative of the hard work of the hundreds of dedicated volunteers who made this event such a success, as well as the thousands of hockey fans here in Nova Scotia," said Fred MacGillivray, Chair of the 2003 IIHF World Junior Championship Organizing Committee. "The hosting of the World Junior Championship in Canada and the pride of Canadians across the country by supporting this event was outstanding, and we look forward to hosting our next challenge: the 2004 IIHF World Women's this spring." The 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship will be held in Finland, December 26-January 5, 2004. Halifax will again play host to International hockey this spring during the IIHF World Women's Hockey Championship - March 30-April 6, 2004. Halifax and Quebec City are also Canada's bid cities to host the IIHF's 2008 Men's World Hockey Championship. For more information on Hockey Canada, visit the official web site at www.hockeycanada.ca.
