Edmonton—A Love Affair with the River City

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Despite some tough times, the people of Edmonton have had it good when it comes to the success of their Oilers. Bear in mind that fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs have faced a Stanley Cup drought that stretched on for decades, whereas the Oilers won five championships in their first 10 years as a member of the National Hockey League. Not a bad percentage.

Hockey – and specifically good hockey – has had an incredible impact on Edmonton. Those dynasty years of the 1980s put the city on the international map, despite its locale as the northernmost sports town in the Western hemisphere.

"The greatest economic benefit is the international reputation the Oilers have created for the city, as well as the regional pride the community has for its favourite sports franchise," says Economic Development Edmonton spokesperson Kenn Bur.

Focus groups conducted by the EDE have shown that one thing Americans  know about Edmonton is that it is home to the Oilers. Of course, the locals are well aware of not only who the Oilers are, but what they mean to a place known as the "City of Champions". As the major sports franchise in town, with an almost unparalleled level of success, the fortune of the team is a constant topic of conversation in a market wild about its hockey. The players have both the power to please and disappoint.

"You can always tell around the city if the Oilers are doing well," diehard Edmonton fan Ken Messum once said. "Everybody’s in a good mood, everybody’s happy. And if they’re doing crappy, everybody’s down. You can tell just by people’s expressions and moods."

"They face a lot of pressure in living up to the expectations of years past. If they didn’t do that well in the beginning, we’d be happy with 92 points, barely missing the playoffs but being competitive. Now, people aren’t happy with that."

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