(FREDERICTON, NB) The Cavendish Farms University Cup, hosted by the University of New Brunswick and the UNB Reds, was one of the top ten sporting events in Canada in 2018.
The Global Sports Impact Canada Index ranked the 2018 University Cup as the 7th best event, behind the top ranked 2018 Grey Cup and other events, including the 2018 Scotties Tournament of Hearts and the 2018 Mastercard Memorial Cup.
UNB’s University Cup tournament, which saw the host Reds claim the bronze medal, emerged as the top university sporting event in the country.
It ranked higher than the 2018 Vanier Cup men’s football championship and the 2018 Final 8 men’s basketball championship.
“It’s a real testament to our host committee, volunteers, corporate partners, University, the City of Fredericton, and all of our loyal fans,” said Reds Director of Athletics, John Richard. “We not only host these events, they thrive when we do so. Despite our relatively small size, we execute and take a lot of pride in paying attention to every detail. I’m extremely proud of all who were involved.”
24,402 people attended the eight games of the 2018 Cavendish Farms University Cup, held over four days, at UNB’s Aitken Centre.
“This news reinforces what a tremendous group of people we had involved in putting the U Cup together in 2017 and 2018,” said Steve Burns, who served as Chair of the University Cup Host Organizing Committee in 2017 and 2018. “It also confirms that UNB can play on a national stage, in a very competitive space.”
“While the volunteers and staff worked diligently to put this event on, the people and fans here supported that work by attending, even when the Reds weren’t playing,” said Burns. “Without them, this event wouldn’t have been as successful as it was.”
The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance, in partnership with Sportcal, the publisher of the annual Global Sport Impact Report, developed the GSI Canada Index in 2018. It’s based on national championships and international competitions, both hosted in 2018 as well as those national championships/international events currently awarded for 2019 and beyond. Members of CSTA, including national sport organizations, completed an online worksheet which was analyzed independently by Sportcal.
Based on the input, each host city received a score and ranking within its respective CSTA membership category. There were 119 cities, 433 national championship events and 261 international events included in the compilation of the most recent index.
While the University Cup was the top U SPORTS event on the GSI Index, Fredericton ranked third, among cities with populations between 50000-150000, behind Kelowna, BC, and Lethbridge, AB.
The 2018 GSI Canada Index for National Sports Events:
- 2018 Grey Cup (football)
- 2018 Tim Hortons Brier (curling)
- 2018 Scotties Tournament of Hearts (curling)
- 2018 Canadian Championship Final (soccer)
- 2018 Mastercard Memorial Cup (hockey)
- 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships (figure skating)
- 2018 Cavendish Farms U SPORTS University Cup (hockey)
- 2018 Volleyball Canada National Championships (volleyball)
- 2018 U SPORTS Vanier Cup (football)
- 2018 U SPORTS Final 8 (basketball)
For more information, visit: Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance