Media releases

• Brock expert says women’s pro hockey league failure sets the stage for stronger future

  Tuesday, April 02, 2019 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 2 April 2019 – R00058

  A day after the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) announced it would cease operations, a Brock University professor of Sport Management says she hopes the best is yet to come for professional women’s hockey in North America.

  The CWHL launched in 2007 and had been operating with six teams spread across the country. In a media release Sunday, the league said it had to fold because the “business model that has been the foundation of the League is not sustainable financially.”

  Associate Professor of Sport Management Julie Stevens, a recognized expert in the governance and organization of women’s hockey, says she believes the dynamics that have unfolded will change the landscape.

  “The CWHL’s not-for-profit model was unique as it emphasized developing hockey and serving the broader good of the female game,” she says. “The National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) model was based upon private ownership and a return on investment. The way revenue is used in each model differs, but there is one similarity — each model must have money to survive.”

  Stevens says the closure of the CWHL is a catalyst for other key actors to enter the scene — which has happened many times in the past in men’s professional hockey leagues where leagues have come and gone over time.

  “You have to hope there is some kind of strategy behind all these changes,” she says.

  Stevens says leadership for the two leagues had been discussing working together since the fall, while the National Hockey League and NHL Players Association announced the formation of a Female Hockey Advisory Committee last month.

  “I believe there is more to come on this issue,” she says. “The closure of the CWHL has created a vacuum and something must fill the space. There are simply too many elite female hockey athletes in need of a place to play. This is an opportunity for women’s hockey to move forward.”

  Associate Professor of Sport Management Julie Stevens is available for interviews on the issue.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Dan Dakin, Manager Communications and Media Relations, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

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  Categories: Media releases

• Brock University ready to welcome thousands to annual Open House

  Monday, April 01, 2019 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 1 April 2019 – R00057

  With early signs indicating Brock continues to rise as a top choice for high school graduates, campus is expected be buzzing for the University’s annual Spring Open House this weekend.

  The entire Brock community will join together to welcome thousands of potential undergraduate and graduate students and their families Sunday, April 7.

  Running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Open House aims to give visitors a taste of all that Brock has to offer. In addition to a comprehensive information fair, prospective students will have the chance to tour campus, meet students, senior administrators, faculty and staff, attend presentations related to programs of interest, learn about student services and research opportunities, and even take in a first-year lecture.

  Tours of residences, research labs, athletic facilities and the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts downtown will also be available, and welcome sessions will be introduced to help visitors make the most of their time on campus.

  “The day will be action-packed, allowing for a ‘choose your own adventure’ style experience that meets students’ personal interests and passions,” said Beth Natale, Director, Recruitment for Brock University. “Open House is one of the best ways to solidify that Brock is the right choice for your future. It allows you to try us on for size and learn how you can shape your Brock experience to fit your own priorities and goals for your future.”

  One of the most important days on the recruitment calendar, Spring Open House comes on the heels of promising early signs for the University’s fall enrolment.

  Last September, Brock welcomed a record number of students to campus, taking enrolment past 19,000 for the first time. Recent figures compiled by the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) indicate that trend may continue, with an increasing number of students shortlisting Brock as their possible destination for 2019-20:

  • Ontario high school students who put Brock in their Top 3 universities are up nearly 12 per cent over a year ago.
  • Those listing Brock as their No. 1 pick shot up more than 15 per cent.
  • In Brock’s home communities, applications from students across Niagara region are up nearly 10 per cent.
  • Globally, Brock has nearly 4,000 applications from international students, up 22.5 per cent over the same time last year. (This number reflects both students applying from overseas, as well as international students currently studying in Ontario high schools.)

  It will be a few months before universities know where students ultimately register, but the strong numbers combined with early interest in Brock’s Open House are promising.

  “We are seeing indicator after indicator that shows Brock is definitely in demand,” Natale said. “Our reputation as a career starter and place of interest for students is gaining serious momentum.”

  Online registration and a full schedule for Spring Open House can be found at discover.brocku.ca/openhouse/

  Natale and other Brock officials will be available for interviews at the event.

  What: Brock University Spring Open House
  When: Sunday, April 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  Where: Information fair to begin in Ian Beddis Gymnasium on Brock’s main campus

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Dan Dakin, Manager Communications and Media Relations, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

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  Categories: Media releases