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Vanier Cup to be held in Hamilton at Tim Hortons Field in 2016 and 2017

Vanier Cup to be held in Hamilton at Tim Hortons Field in 2016 and 2017

Canadian Interuniversity Sport officially announced Monday that the 2016 and 2017 Vanier Cup games will be held in Hamilton at Tim Hortons Field, something that looks like a good move for the organization. The last three Vanier Cups and five of the last seven have been held in Quebec (four at Laval's stadium in Quebec City), so returning the game to Ontario (where it was last played in 2012) and Hamilton (where it was last played in 2008) spreads it around a bit.

Having the 2016 game in Hamilton also could be a further benefit, as the Grey Cup is an hour down the road in Toronto. While the two events are unlikely to officially pair up (at least in any substantial fashion), some media in town for the Grey Cup may pay more attention to a somewhat-nearby Vanier than they would otherwise. Hamilton's new Tim Hortons Field has plenty of amenities, too, and should be an excellent location for this game. From the CIS release:

"The City of Hamilton, with McMaster University and ArcelorMittal Dofasco at its core, is the perfect place to help bring our Vanier Cup vision to life," said Graham Brown, chief executive officer of CIS. "There is tremendous momentum from the 2015 Pan Am Games, a tremendous stadium, volunteer participation and mobilization, exceptional local business involvement. Our vision is to utilize the power of partnerships in new ways."

"The City of Hamilton is delighted to welcome back the Vanier Cup for two more years," said Mayor Eisenberger. "Varsity sports are an integral component of the culture of post-secondary institutions, and Hamilton hosting showcases the City on a national scale. Thank you to ArcelorMittal Dofasco and their community spirit in sponsoring this prestigious event."

It's also notable that McMaster University, based in Hamilton, will play a substantial role in the organization of these games. From the release:

McMaster University will also play a major role in delivering successful Vanier Cups over the next two years, especially when it comes to engaging the local community. The Marauders football program has returned to national powerhouse status over the past five years, winning the first Vanier Cup title in school history in 2011 and reaching three CIS finals in four seasons from 2011 to 2014.

Glen Grunwald, McMaster director of athletics and recreation, has been named Chair of the host organizing committee.

"Hamilton is well known as a community that loves sports in general and football in particular," Grunwald said. "I am counting on the sports fans of Hamilton that have supported football at all levels so well over the years to come out in force to attend this great event. Our goal will be to present Hamilton as a first-class sports town and play the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Vanier Cup in front of a sold-out crowd."

McMaster's involvement in an event at Tim Hortons Field is positive, as they haven't always had the greatest relationship with the Ticats. The decision by in 2012 to prevent the Ticats from playing there in 2013 during construction at Tim Hortons Field pushed the team down the road to Guelph. However, that relationship has gotten better recently, with McMaster hosting some Ticats' games in 2014 while construction lagged on, and it seems to have improved under Grunwald (a former NBA executive with the Raptors and Knicks who was hired in August 2014); things seemed more testy under former AD Jeff Giles, a former CFL commissioner.

It's positive to have the Marauders and Ticats working more closely together now, and both organizations should be able to contribute a lot to the success of this event. It's also another way for the city of Hamilton to utilize Tim Hortons Field. This should be a good move for CIS, and something that should work well for all involved. We'll see how it plays out, but all signs are positive.