What next for Panthers and British ice hockey?
Mick Holland on the revolution about to take place in British ice hockey
BRITISH ice hockey is set to take a major step towards winning a share of the 10m euro pot up for grabs in the new European Champions League.
And it may mean the cash-strapped teams in the Elite League will be cast aside before next season.
As we prepare for the grand showpiece of our game, the play-off finals at the National Ice Centre this weekend, I understand that Nottingham Panthers will be increasing their number of imports to 11, along with the other big teams – Belfast, Sheffield and Coventry, who were all restricted to ten this season.
That decision will spell doom for the lesser teams who want to cut the number of imports in order to survive and are not prepared to raise the standard of the game in this country.
With Basingstoke already gone, where that will leave the likes of Edinburgh, Manchester and Newcastle – who have all apparently been propped up by the league in various ways – remains to be seen.
With some of these teams crying out for costs to be cut to allow them to stay in business, they will no doubt fall by the wayside if the ambitious plan gets the green light, as I believe it will.
There is no possibility at all that the standard will drop as some supporters have feared, but in fact, the quality of import may be even higher.
If the league has to reduce in size, from ten to six or eight viable teams, in order to grow as a solid unit, bringing a better, more exciting brand of hockey to attract bigger crowds, then there is no alternative solution.
And when hockey fans say they will be bored watching the same teams too often over a season, I have always pointed out that the NHL – the greatest league in the world – existed as a six-team league for 25 seasons before starting an expansion programme in 1967.
I understand that prospective teams in other cities across the UK have already expressed an interest in joining the Elite League, perhaps even as early as 2010-11.
And who would Nottingham supporters rather see for a season, four or five high-quality games against Sheffield, Coventry, Cardiff and Belfast?
Or the likes of Edinburgh and Newcastle, who go from game to game, needing a home fixture each week to pay the bills?
Variety is surely only relevant when the product is good.
Newcastle, unfortunately, are an arena-based club, with arena-based expenses but second-tier attendances.
Their solution is apparently to hold the other teams back. But a league is only as strong as its weakest team and that scenario cannot be allowed to continue.
How can Sheffield, for instance, contemplate carrying on with plans for their new arena while having their ambitions thwarted by the struggling few?
The ultimate goal, of course, is to turn a minority UK sport into a major crowd-puller and with it, have teams capable of competing in Europe and challenging for the massive stakes on offer in the Champions League, starting with Sheffield Steelers next season.
For not only will the clubs and the players benefit, but the league and the UK governing body will also receive a share of the booty as the team progresses.
That cannot be achieved with the begging-bowl, hand-to-mouth outfits holding back those with a solid business platform, good fan base and an ambition to move onwards and upwards.
There will have to be one or two of the smaller teams involved, with Hull already taking steps to prove their aspirations by announcing fresh plans in the pipeline for next season.
Despite the current economic climate, there are genuine sponsors out there willing to back a genuine product. And we haven't got it at the moment.
The league has to look forward. There may be a few tears and hiccups along what may be a rocky road, but if UK ice hockey and the Great Britain team is to be taken seriously both here and abroad, this has to be the only way.
10 Comments
by Jim George, Nottingham
Saturday, April 04 2009, 9:32AM
“I think that imagination shown in these ideas is excellent. Development of the game and the quality of competition is more important than small-minded parochialism. Football has shown how European competitions enliven and lift the sport to new heights. Ice hockey should go the same path.”
by Snakebite, Newcastle
Friday, April 03 2009, 8:09PM
“This article really puts forward the " I'm considerably richer then thou" mentality amongst the top 4 clubs that has come to the fore in the last couple of years within the league. Give the "poorer" clubs in the league a level playing field. We all know that certain clubs this year have exceeded the salary cap again....like last year....so we are all waiting to see what punishements the directors will give themselves this time. The EIHL has stunk this year and if you stood back and took your rose spectacles off, you would see that all is not right for the future of top class hockey in the UK. Also increasing the number of imports in the league could have a detrimental effect on the future development of Team UK young players. This reminds me of the Miners Strike in the early 80's....no solidarity from certain areas in the UK...and we know what happened there.”
by Kyle, Manchester
Thursday, April 02 2009, 12:27AM
“Mick, write a proper article on the state of British Ice Hockey, not one from the point of view of Nottingham Panthers. You clearly have no clue as to what needs to happen with the Elite league. your arguement is directly describing whats WRONG with the league and its governing body as they're all quite clearly looking for more 'booty' as you put it. A six team league will be seen as a joke by many and become unsustainable. Ice Hockey should have a number one priority of stability, not losing teams every few years to line the pockets of the others.
how this article was actually published/printed is beyond me, clearly you have a special place for the Black and Gold.”
by Di, Manchester
Wednesday, April 01 2009, 7:56PM
“You've really scraped the dregs from the barrell for this "article" haven't you? More insulting than informative and ill-informed at that.
Trust me, there are no tears in Manchester tonight. In my opinion, ditching this league is the best thing for us. It's been mis-managed from day one.
We are proud of our team, our management, and our fan base. I look forward to the future.
My heartfelt sympathies go out to those genuine hockey fans (some of them good freinds) of Nottingham, Sheffield, Belfast, Coventry, Hull and Cardiff, who are going to suffer when the new league structure collapses like a house of cards. ISL mark 2.
They say "it ain't over till the fat lady sings" but I reckon I can hear her warming up in the wings.”
by Neil Tucker, Retford
Wednesday, April 01 2009, 6:34PM
“What this writer fails to realise is that qualification for the CHL is determined by the ranking of the national team. How is having 11 imports or more between 6 clubs going to help the national team sustain a CHL qualifing rank? Remember what happened to the national team in the ISL days.
This whole article is utter rubbish. Written by someone who really doesn't know ice hockey or true journalism.”
by Mark McLean, Edinburgh
Wednesday, April 01 2009, 1:23PM
“A quite remarkable article which highlights everything that is wrong with ice hockey in the UK.
Unfortunately ice hockey is, and always will be, a minority sport in the UK which should be trying to reach out to as wide an audience as possible. By cutting 40% of your top league, you simply allow the rich to get richer and the poor to be disregarded. Great if you're Sheffield or Nottingham who are mainly interested in the full houses against each other during the year and any cup clashes which come along the way to swell the coffers. However, not so great for the other ice hockey clubs where a large part of the support will simply turn their back on an inferior product. While the David and Goliath scenario also applies in the Premiership, as an example, at least the top 4 recognise that without the other 16 competitors, they have nothing to play for. The Champions League is also very attractive to them but their bread and butter comes first.
To use the NHL as an example of a blue-print for the future is naive in the extreme. We are talking about a major sport in the US/Canada which has had mass appeal to the general public for many years.
The one issue which has not been mentioned in the one-sided article is that of the supporters. Those who follow ice hockey the length and breadth of the country consider themselves as ice hockey supporters and not simply supporters of one specific team. To take the opportunity away from people to watch the best product available within their vicinity certainly does not allow you to expand its appeal to the general public.
To finish my rant,, a league is set up to support all teams who compete in it and not just the select few. By breaking away when the going gets tough for a few participants merely shows the intention of the big boys is that of self preservation and not to improve the health and well-being of ice hockey in the UK.”
by John, Manchester
Wednesday, April 01 2009, 1:04PM
“How STUPID of Me
Just realised its an APRIL FOOL”
by Dave Rutherford, Newcastle
Wednesday, April 01 2009, 12:37PM
“Biggest load of tripe i have ever seen written,
When these alleged 'other cities' come onboard will Hull be ditched next? and then Cardiff?”
by John Goulding, Manchester
Wednesday, April 01 2009, 12:17PM
“Wonder where Hull are getting their new funding from.
Good luck to all the elite league you people never learn as for the big 4 Was it not so long ago Sheffield where "begging-bowl,hand to mouth outfits.
Wish all the teams could play out of a LOTTERY FUNDED arena.”
by John McKee, Manchester
Wednesday, April 01 2009, 11:01AM
“I pray to God that Manchester leave the Elite League.
If "neutral" journalism like this can be written with such arrogance I really hope to see what posistion the "lesser" teams will be in compared to the "bigger" teams in a few years time.
I honestly do say good luck to those who remain the Elite League, but fear for what will happen. Although you may hark on about the original six of the NHL (which is a very tired argument which surely can't be used today), I can't help but remember how well the ISL fared when its numbers began to dwindle, even with the mighty Nottingham Panthers onboard. I see the same happening here.
Also, do you honestly think a British team is going to have a chance of winning the ECL? Come on now. Raising the import level by one is going to make that possible? Please.”