A major Canadian professional hockey championship will be played in Michigan next year.
The Canadian Hockey League announced Thursday that it will hold its Memorial Cup tournament in Saginaw in 2024.
The league serves as an umbrella organization composed of 60 teams (including 8 in the United States) spread over three junior ice hockey leagues: the Quebec Hockey League, the Western Hockey League, and the Ontario Hockey League.
The Memorial Cup was established in 1919, to honor Canadians who died in World War I.
Saginaw will be only the fourth U.S. city to host the event in the 104-year history of the minor league championship. The tournament was previously hosted in Portland, Spokane, and Seattle.
“Sizes of market did not matter,” said Dan MacKenzie, president of the Canadian Hockey League.
MacKenzie said the selection committee’s criteria included local infrastructure, like hotels, and the status of the arena.
The event is expected to bring thousands of visitors and millions of dollars to the Saginaw, Bay City and Midland area.
