Men’s basketball, one of the prime Canadian Interuniversity Sport events, will be returning to Ottawa following the next two years of being held in Halifax. Carleton University was the only bidder for the 2013 and 2014 events, meaning a return to where the event was held from 2008 to 2010.
Halifax had been the host for 24 years from 1984 to 2007 prior to its move to the nation’s capital.
Carleton University was announced Monday as the only bidder to host the 2013 and 2014 Canadian Interuniversity Sport men’s basketball championships and — by default, unless something unforeseen occurs — will host the events at Scotiabank Place.
Atlantic University Sport is hosting the 2011 and 2012 Final 8’s in Halifax.
CIS chief executive officer Marg McGregor said rubber-stamping Carleton’s bid should be a “mere formality” next month.
“We’re delighted,” she said. “We know from the Carleton experience in the last three years, they did an outstanding job. It was well-received in the nation’s capital and we’re pleased Carleton stepped forward again.”
After the tournament was hosted by the AUS in Halifax for 24 straight years from 1984 to 2007, Carleton hosted the championship from 2008 to 2010.
Attendance dropped by 29,000 from 2008 to 2010 in Ottawa, a decrease of almost 36 per cent, according to numbers published by the Ottawa Citizen.
The AUS did not submit a bid for the 2013 and 2014 tournaments because it wanted to first test the CIS’s new financial model in 2011, according to executive director Phil Currie. Currie said the new model sees the CIS take 75 per cent of sponsorship inventory instead of handing it all over to the host.
Among the other sports up for bids
Women’s basketball: Alberta (2011 and 2013); Calgary (2011 and 2012); Regina (2012, with interest 2013); and Windsor (any two-year period spanning the three available years).
