Saskatoon - Sports and Recreation

Sports and Recreation

Ice hockey is one of the most popular sports in Saskatoon and is home to numerous amateur teams such as the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL, who host their games in Credit Union Centre (formerly known as Saskatchewan Place). Saskatoon is also home to amateur teams at the Junior B and Midget AAA levels, as well as several youth teams. Saskatoon was a major league hockey city from 1921 to 1926 when the WCHL/WHL Sheiks/Crescents played. They made it as far as the league semi-finals twice, not far enough to challenge for the Stanley Cup. The biggest chance for a return of major professional hockey came in 1982. Bill Hunter, a local sports promoter, attempted to purchase the St. Louis Blues of the NHL and move it to Saskatoon, but the move was prevented by the league. This was due to Saskatchewan's and especially Saskatoon's small size in relation to both St. Louis and the other cities in the NHL at the time. However, it did cause the building of the Credit Union Centre, on the city's northern edge. Credit Union Centre Recent renovations will increase seating capacity to over 15,000 for hockey games in time for the facility to host the 2010 World Junior Hockey tournament,as well as several new box suites to be added. A proposal by Ice Edge Holdings, who are the front runners to buy the Phoenix Coyotes, would move some of the Coyotes' home games to Saskatoon. Also in 2004 with Edmonton looking for a new WHL team, Oilers President and CEO Patrick Laforge offered the Edmonton Roadrunners franchise of the American Hockey League to the city of Saskatoon in exchange for the Saskatoon Blades franchise. However the deal never worked out, with the Roadrunners suspending operations and remaining dormant until 2010 when the team moved to Oklahoma City.

As for women's hockey, there is a strong youth female hockey presence in Saskatoon with a Midget AAA team and several youth teams in the city.

Canadian football is one of the most successful on field sports in Saskatoon. The University of Saskatchewan Huskies are one of the top University football programs in Canada, with three Vanier Cup national championships and 19 Hardy Trophy Canada West championships. The Huskies have made nine Vanier Cup appearances since 1990, and were the first team from outside of Ontario to host the Vanier Cup, hosting the game in 2006. As well, the Saskatoon Hilltops of the Canadian Junior Football League host their games at Gordie Howe Bowl. The Hilltops have won 15 national junior championships throughout their history. As well, many Saskatonians support the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL.

The Saskatoon Yellow Jackets college summer league baseball team is a member of the Western Major Baseball League and play their games at Cairns Field. They are not affiliated with any Major League Baseball team nor do they carry any professional players. In the past other teams have attempted to grace Saskatoon's professional sports landscape including the Saskatoon Riot, (named after the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series in 1993)Saskatoon Smokin' Guns, Saskatoon Stallions and the latest being the Saskatoon Legends. However, there is hope that the Golden Baseball League will find an owner for its proposed Saskatoon franchise and begin play in 2010 or 2011 at Cairns Field.

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies play Canadian Interuniversity Sport league games at the University Campus. Their facilities include 6,171 seat Griffiths Stadium, 700 seat Rutherford Arena, and the state-of-the-art Physical Activity Complex, which is completely new with the exception of a small swimming pool which was not updated, that opened in August 2003 with the opening of the new College of Kinesiology Building. The Huskies participate in twelve sports at the CIS level and have been most successful in football(Conference champions 18 times/National champions 3 times), men's volleyball(Conference champions 11 times/National champions 4 times) and men's and women's Track and Field(Conference champions 37 times/ National champions 12 times).

In 2007, two new sports teams came into being in Saskatoon, the Saskatchewan SWAT of the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League and the Saskatoon Accelerators in the Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League. The Accelerators play at Credit Union Centre, while the SWAT split their games between Credit Union Centre and Kinsmen Arena in their first season, eventually moving to Archibald Arena in 2009.

Motor racing is a popular sport in Saskatoon. Saskatchewan International Raceway has been in operation for over 40 years; SIR is home to 1/4 mile NHRA drag racing and holds racing events from May to September. As well, just north of the city lies Auto Clearing Motor Speedway; the track is home to local stock car racing, as well as races for several different Western Canadian series. 2009 saw the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series make its inaugural stop at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway, signaling a move to a larger profile track in Saskatoon.

For horse racing fans, Marquis Downs at Prairieland Park offers live horse racing from May to October.

Saskatoon is also home to two full size soccer facilities. Saskatoon Soccer Centre controls both buildings. Henk Ruys has four hardcourt indoor fields while the Sasktel Soccer Centre has two outdoor full size fields and one indoor full sized field as well as two tiled fields.

On the recreation side, Lions Skatepark was built in the Riversdale area in 2003. As well Saskatoon is home to several golf courses and various parks which include tennis courts, ball diamonds and soccer pitches for spring, summer and fall use and outdoor rinks for winter use. Blackstrap Ski Hill is also located 30 minutes south of the city, however, has been closed for both 2006 and 2007 seasons due to financial difficulty.