Quebec Passed Over Again: It’s Not a Bad Thing.

Another PWHL Season is in the books. With it came another round of neutral site games, another amazing turnout in Quebec and another "thanks but no thanks” to the city with regard to league expansion. Maybe it's a case of the fox & the grapes, or maybe it’s something a little more legit, but with each turndown from the NHL and now, PWHL, comes a little more comfort. A comfort that Quebec can remain Quebec rather than becoming another sports-influenced city that imports an unhealthy dose of big box culture to satisfy visiting teams and fans.  

First- being passed over for league expansion is legitimate. The city and its metro region are still small by North American Sports Standards. It won't create new fans and, most importantly, it won't help secure the necessary billion dollar television and streaming deals that major US cities are capable of. This round of expansion has left those tasks to Detroit, Las Vegas, San Jose and Hamilton, Ontario. 

This brings us to the comfort part. Quebec will get over being passed over again. The city knows what it is in terms of size. Quebec, as well as the rest of us, also knows what it is in terms of its uniqueness. It’s a uniqueness that can easily be ruined by a major player setting up shop and catering to those who aren’t concerned with what’s already there. 

Sure, Quebec currently caters to tourists, but those tourists are looking for that uniqueness. There are, and will always be, elements offering visitors and tourists some of the comforts of home. We all generally want some of that. Cringe as we may, we understand that when admiring the architecture along Grande Allee we can spot the occasional neon Subway sign over a door, and the accompanying posters for the latest foot long meal deal in the window. Those types of things, those small doses of familiarity, represent the exception to the neighborhood.

Catering to a different type of visitor is where things can get dicey. Picture having spent a day at the museums and historic sites around the city. You’ve enjoyed a quaint dinner along Saint-Joseph, followed by some live music and drinks at a jazz bar just a few doors down. As you meander through the quiet neighborhood, towards your Air B&B, you suddenly find yourself in what looks like every city you've ever been in: Holiday Inns, Dave & Busters, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dicks Sporting Goods and every big box & chain the average major league fan wants when coming to town for a weekend to see the game. Oh, and it’s all in English. 

If this all seems a bit dramatic, simply look at Washington, DC and the impact the current arena had on neighboring Chinatown. Everyone appreciated the neighborhood, but when 17,000 fans began flooding it every night looking for chain restaurants, sports bars and places to buy a new team logo hoodie, the culture (the uniqueness) changed rapidly. No one will argue that this pumped a lot of much needed money into the neighborhood, but no one can deny the cultural change that came with it. Is it a bad thing to not want that type of change for “our” city?

Yes, I’d like to see Quebec on the big stage. The city deserves it. The city has proven what it can do. Of course, so has the world of major league sports. Striking the balance, Quebec has done well solidifying itself as the top of the food chain in the QMJHL. For the time being, things will remain that way, and that’s not a bad thing.