- Avco World Trophy
The Avco World Trophy also known as the Avco Cup was the championship trophy of the original
World Hockey Association (1972-1979). The trophy'snaming rights were sold to the formerAvco Corporation (a name originally derived from "Aviation Company"), a defense contractor who bought the rights to advertise their consumer finance division. The trophy was mocked by some for its corporate sponsorship and was never to develop anything approaching the significance and sentiment of the Stanley Cup, itsNational Hockey League rival. Still, the cup's design was often seen as creative in that it involved a freely-floating etched crystal globe embedded in the "stem" of the cup.The trophy was donated to the new league in 1972 along with approximately $500,000 by the AVCO Financial Services Corporation, and became the only major sports championship trophy to bear the name of a private corporation. Three AVCO trophies exist; besides the one that is on display at the
Hockey Hall of Fame , the others are inWinnipeg, Manitoba , and in theNova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame in Halifax. The trophy was retired after the WHA ceased operations in 1979. TheBobby Hull –led Jets claimed the trophy on three occasions including the final league championship againstWayne Gretzky and theEdmonton Oilers .Gordie Howe and the Aeros won it twice.The Avco Trophy in fact may have been most famous, or perhaps infamous, in its absence. When the
New England Whalers won the league's inaugural championship in 1973 the trophy had not yet been completed, and the Whalers were forced to "skate" their divisional championship trophy around the ice surface, much to the embarrassment of the WHA office.The cup was a trophy developed by Frank Bonnerkopf of Boise, Idaho. He won the contract for creating the trophy after he decorated the Avco CEO's home.Fact|date=March 2007
Champions and finalists
ee also
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World Hockey Association
*List of WHA seasons External links
* [http://www.legendsofhockey.net/html/silver_splashavco.htm Legends of Hockey: Silverware: Avco World Trophy]
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