Edmonton Sports Talk

[Hallsy's Toupee]

Gretzky to be named Oilers assistant GM
http://www.tsn.ca/oilers-to-name-keith-gretzky-assistant-gm-1.536553

The Edmonton Oilers are expected to hire Keith Gretzky as their assistant general manager in the near future.

Wayne's younger brother, Keith Gretzky is currently the Director of Amateur Scouting for the Boston Bruins, where Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli worked from 2006-2015.

Keith has been a scout in both the NHL and junior ranks since 2001.

[Coldrsx]

Not really sure what I think of this move...

[Black Star]

It sounds gimmicky!


Another Gretzky coming into Edmonton After the Great one. If I were the Jr Gretzky I would not do this.

[s4.audios]

Stupid headline got me raising my eyebrows too high. They couldn't add Keith in from the start!!

[240glt]

Yup at first I was like "OH?!" Then I was like "oh..."

[Coldrsx]

^Bingo.

[Landlocked]

Originally Posted by Black Star

It sounds gimmicky!


Another Gretzky coming into Edmonton After the Great one. If I were the Jr Gretzky I would not do this.

He worked for Chia before in Boston. This is a case where it looks like a gimmick or nepotism, however is more likely something the GM wants that was an easy sell with his boss despite the optics.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

Maybe he is replacing MacT?

[Hallsy's Toupee]

Spoke too soon. K Gretzky hired, Howson is gone.

Here's the release, all part of a shakeup in the Ops department
http://oilers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=890460

[hilman]

vinesh pratap ‏@vineshpratap
From CFR to PBR. New event for #yeg billed as a "western lifestyle festival" for 10 days. #yegarena @GlobalEdmonton

https://twitter.com/vineshpratap

[hilman]

OEG ANNOUNCES PBR PARTNERSHIP

August 3, 2016
PBR TO ANCHOR 10-DAY WESTERN LIFESTYLE FESTIVAL IN EDMONTON WITH CANADIAN FINALS AND GLOBAL INVITATIONAL EVENT

Oilers Entertainment Group and PBR Join Forces to Create Western Lifestyle Destination Event

EDMONTON, AB — All roads lead to Edmonton as Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG) have announced a partnership bringing the PBR Monster Energy Canada Tour Finals and a special global invitational PBR event to Rogers Place as the centerpiece of a new festival to coincide with Edmonton’s annual Farm Fair exhibition.

The three-day global professional bull riding showcase, which will be broadcast on TSN, is scheduled for November 10-12, 2017 with a $1 million (CAD) purse up for grabs. It will cap an exciting 10-day festival that will include NHL hockey, live entertainment and community events and activities celebrating western lifestyle.

The bull riding will begin with the PBR Canada Monster Energy Finals, crowning a champion among the country’s Top 40 riders in the PBR Monster Energy Canada Series – a new 16-city tour visiting five Canadian provinces starting August 20, 2016 in Ottawa and ending in October 2017. Following the Canadian Finals, a two-day PBR Edmonton Open Invitational will feature the world’s Top 40 bull riders: the Top 20 riders in the Canadian standings along with the Top 20 from the PBR World Standings.

Highlights of the festival event schedule, which is still being developed, include:

November 3-12, 2017 – Western lifestyle festival events and activations
Friday, November 10, 2017 – PBR Canada Monster Energy Finals
Saturday, November 11, 2017 – PBR Edmonton Invitational – Top 20 Canadian riders compete with the world’s best
Sunday, November 12, 2017 – PBR Edmonton Invitational Finals

“PBR is very excited to partner with Oilers Entertainment Group to develop this marquee sporting event anchoring a western lifestyle festival in the great city of Edmonton,” said Sean Gleason, CEO of PBR. “Beautiful, new Rogers Place is the ideal venue to crown a champion for our new PBR Monster Energy Canada Tour and host the world’s best riders at a global invitational. This three-day Canadian showcase will award the biggest purse outside of our World Finals in Las Vegas and is an important component to PBR’s commitment to Canadian fans as well as our global growth.”

“We are excited to build on Edmonton’s proud western heritage through this new event,” said Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson. “This exciting festival concept will help build on the success of Farm Fair and will be a great draw not only for Edmontonians, but Northern Alberta as well.”

http://www.rogersplace.com/oeg-announces-pbr-partnership/

[hilman]

• Video Link

[EdmTrekker]

Originally Posted by hilman

• Video Link

I want to buy tickets NOW - a 3 day pass please!And while I am an urban urban urban city guy who hates country music - I like the ruggedness of PBR. PBR fits like a glove on the hard working people of this great Province from rig pigs to tin bashers - from Labourer to bean counter. Hope they add another day to the schedule going forward as its sure to be a complete sellout. I can't wait to see what events are planned in the ICE plaza

[Black Star]

"Western lifestyle festival" lmao.

Its F--king Bull Riding.

And what do the Hockey highlights have to do with anything!

Its a good event to replace the CFR tho. The Western Lifestyle crowd will like it.


https://youtu.be/mlCQthIt9-Q

[EdmTrekker]

Originally Posted by Black Star

"Western lifestyle festival" lmao.

Its F--king Bull Riding.

And what do the Hockey highlights have to do with anything!

Its a good event to replace the CFR tho. The Western Lifestyle crowd will like it.


https://youtu.be/mlCQthIt9-Q

If I am in the country at the time we will go...to PBR but nothing else.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

I just wish they could move it to a warmer time of year, say September. Better opportunities for outdoor activities, street parties and such. Plus the dirty ol' man within me would rather see the cowgirls wearing daisy dukes instead of toques and mitts.

[Coldrsx]

Really liking this move.

[EdmTrekker]

Originally Posted by Hallsy's Toupee

I just wish they could move it to a warmer time of year, say September. Better opportunities for outdoor activities, street parties and such. Plus the dirty ol' man within me would rather see the cowgirls wearing daisy dukes instead of toques and mitts.

The PBR "Canadian" schedule visits what 20? cities and will culminate in Edmonton for the finals. Likely the best they could do as many riders are coming from other countries for the "International" part. Maybe they will put up portable heaters in the plaza, straw to catch fire, tents etc. Who knows.

[hilman]

Interesting comparison of the PBR versus the CFR group led by the CPRA:

The PBR was founded 23 years ago by 20 bull riders who invested $1,000 apiece in the belief that a bull riding-only event would sell. They were right. Last year, PBR was sold to IMG for a reported $100-million US and is now backed by their global reach and entertainment expertise.

There are 1,000 riders competing in 250 events in six countries — Canada, the U.S., New Zealand, Brazil, Australia and Mexico. Their shows are beamed into 500-million homes worldwide on television. In the U.S., PBR ratings rival most other sports properties but the National Football League.

“While we may not be in the mainstream psyche of most people when you think about sports products, and I know that this is a big, huge hockey town, but in the United States, we regularly beat (hockey) in TV ratings. So we’re pretty proud of that,” said Gleason.

They’re not rodeo, and they’re not mainstream. But they’re not fly-by-night, either. And anyone bemoaning the loss of the CFR should find some solace in the fact that the PBR is big league. The 26 Built Ford Tough Series events, their premier shows, play in buildings like Madison Square Garden in New York City and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Gleason said they’ll have 60,000 people at their PBR Brazil finals. And Aerosmith’s lead singer Steven Tyler wrote the PBR’s TV theme song and will play at the national finals in Vegas this fall.

The CPRA, meanwhile, suffered a six-figure loss last year, has been rocked by political dysfunction and will be hard-pressed to put the pieces back together quickly. President Murry Milan resigned in mid-July and, nine days later, GM Dan Eddy was fired after a 6-5 vote by the board of directors. The five dissenting directors immediately resigned, as did the CFR negotiating team and the business advisory council, which included external members.

The remaining directors and CPRA staff are trying to replenish the board, find an interim GM, finish their season and put on the final CFR in Edmonton.

The differences are indeed striking.

http://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey...ging-bulls-big-bucks-to-edmonton-in-2017

[Hallsy's Toupee]

https://twitter.com/EdmontonOilers/status/763218002808492032

Edmonton Oilers ‏@EdmontonOilers
#Oilers Entertainment Group confirms the discontinuation of the Octane. Full statement: http://oilers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=890818 …

Oilers Entertainment Group confirms the discontinuation of the Oilers Octane. The organization is looking for a new direction related to the fan experience, both in-game and in the community, as we head to Rogers Place for our inaugural season. Details will be announced in the coming weeks. We extend a sincere thank you to all members of Oilers Octane past and present, in particular Dr. Mailie Harris, for their contribution to the organization.