The Videotron Centre in Quebec is an impressive purpose-built ice hockey stadium that is currently home to the Quebec Remparts. The stadium is relatively new, having been completed in 2015.
It’s one of the biggest sporting venues in Canada. Still, apart from hosting the Remparts, some of the most significant events staged there have been performances by the legendary Canadian singer Celine Dion rather than ice hockey.
With a capacity of 18,259, the Videotron Centre has plenty of potentials, so what are the chances of the now famous Quebec landmark not just being seen as something to be rightly proud of by locals but becoming a legendary iconic venue?
NHL Franchise Ready
Currently, the stadium hosts the Remparts, which are part of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Good as that is, it’s not the NHL, and this stadium is fit for purpose for the NHL. Comparisons have been made with Rogers Place, the current home of the Edmonton Oilers NHL team, and it also has a similar capacity to the PPG Paints Arena, home to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
To put it bluntly, the Videotron Centre is an NHL venue in waiting. It is an investment in Quebec, and it’s an obstacle already removed when it comes to potential NHL expansion. The Videotron ensures that the powers in the NHL can’t turn around and say you don’t even have a stadium, as it’s already there.
This was taken into consideration when the idea of the stadium was planned and is further backed up by telecommunications company Quebecor, who are heavily involved with the venue, and front and center behind a push to get an NHL franchise back into the province.
Founding Member of the NHL
Quebec is a proud city. The Quebec Bulldogs were one of the founding members of the NHL, and the Quebec Nordiques played in the NHL from 1979 to 1995, when they relocated to Denver to become the Colorado Avalanche.
Bringing a franchise back to Quebec would be huge for the local area. It would bring all kinds of additional benefits to the province. As well as all the fans and publicity for Quebec, an NHL franchise would bring in new sponsors, TV deals, and tie-ins with sports betting companies.
Ice hockey, so prevalent in Canada, would open up a whole new world of possibilities for sports betting in Quebec. Betting on ice hockey is a huge business; in the NHL, endless markets could be tied into an ice hockey franchise, such as live betting at the venue and online betting.
Videotron Iconic Status
Finally, an NHL franchise could give the Videotron Centre a world icon identity. We’ve all heard of Madison Square Garden, and although many big venues have sold their naming rights these days, there are still some iconic venues in other sports, such as Dodgers Stadium in baseball, along with Wembley and Camp Nou in football.
Stunning view over the Nou Camp and city of Barcelona #FCB #Barca pic.twitter.com/em5Lg5ePgq
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The Scotiabank Arena has its own identity and is growing in stature, and as a stadium of equals, the Videotron Centre would do the same.