OT: Penticton in the WHL? (Opinion)

[End on a Hinote]

Penticton is one of the biggest hockey towns in BC and arguably the most storied. They have a gorgeous state of the art junior arena (pic below) and a moderate population of around 35,000, which is not including the surrounding areas.

I would make an awesome cross town rivalry with Kelowna, I'm not sure if the city ever looked into promoting the Vees to major junior and if so why not?

Anyone think it would be a major success?

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[carjackmalone]

When you add in Osoyoos and Oliver population is close to 55-60.000 plus Mirimata

 

[RobertKron]

I think the Vees org have a pretty good thing going, and I'm not sure that they'd necessarily have a lot of motivation to wade into the CHL - especially with their owner having been the chairman of the board for the BCHL when the league withdrew from Hockey Canada.

 

[VanJack]

I'm sure Penticton could support a WHL team......and would be natural rivals with Kelowna. But the WHL is a much bigger budget league. The travel is more expensive; and overall team expenses are probably far higher than the BCJHL.

And the Penticton Vees have a good thing going. They're a major pipeline to NCAA hockey in the U.S. and players who want to go that route will seek them out to play there and potentially gain a lucrative scholarship. And their league has now expanded into Alberta.

So unless some WHL team is serious about relocating there, just can't see it happening.

 

[archangel2]

comes down to money. It is getting more and more expensive to run a team and there are so many ups and downs you need an owner with deep pockets

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Needs more urban sprawl. Give it 10 years.

 

[Lackhalak]

Yes because of the new NCAA rules. I predict the Vees and the Cheifs join the WHL.

 

[Warh1ppy]

I live in Penticton. The city has just announced a new facility including 2 NHL sized and calibre ice surfaces but no statements on seating. The SOEC where the Vees play is the only surface with seating that could encompass a WHL team but sharing ice time would be prohibitive.

With 2 new surfaces going in and an arena that only seats around 6000-7000 tops, I do not see at all how it is possible for a CHL team to flourish here. The population of the Penticton area including Summerland, Naramata; Kaleden and OK Falls is just under 42,000. If we include Osoyoos, Oliver. It jumps up to just under 57,000. For comparison, the greater kelowna area has almost 273,000 people and Prospera place has been labeled a disaster in terms of an arena to the extent that the CHL/WHL have refused to consider holding the memorial cup or select prospect games there.

Kelowna is currently looking for land to build a new arena with sizes up to 12,000. With this in mind I just don't see how geographically Penticton could support a WHL team when even the Vees; a national darling in terms of development and success over the last 15 years does not always fill the SOEC venue; could manage it.