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The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League was into the second round of the playoffs when the plug was pulled on organized sports because of COVID-19.
Eight of the league’s 20 teams remained in the hunt for the Teck Cup and the cancellation hurt both on the ice and off.
Not only did those teams and kids not have a chance to finish their fight for a championship, but plenty of potential revenue went down the drain as well.
Now, the league is feeling the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic and the league, which consists of 13 community-owned teams and seven privately-owned clubs, will need some government assistance.
The KIJHL announced on Tuesday that it would be applying for financial assistance from the $500-million in funding that the federal government has earmarked for the sports, arts and culture sectors.
“Our league has been operating for more than 50 years and our teams make a huge impact in their communities, both on and off the ice," says KIJHL commissioner Jeff Dubois.
"The reality we're facing now is that without some financial assistance from the government, that may not be able to continue.”
After losing a ton of playoff revenue, the league is now managing without anticipated proceeds from annual spring tryout camps.
Teams have already begun tightening their budgets for next season as it’s expected that there will be unprecedented loss from decreased sponsorship and ticket sales.
As if it hasn’t been bad enough already, there’s still no guarantee that the league will be able to have a 2020-21 season, let alone start it on time.
Dubois says the league is thinking positively and there’s no one who doesn’t want to get back on the ice, but league officials are also planning ahead in case the season is delayed.
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