Changes afoot?

[tom]

There's talk on various forums of a major re-structuring of the British leagues in the off season. This seems to link in with Cardiff and Sheffield owner Paul Ragan saying that he expected the Elite League to expand next season. Perhaps this means that the Elite League will be cutting the cost of competing at the top? Newcastle and Edinburgh are both limping towards the end of the season, both are playing with less than a full quota of imports (Edinburgh only have 3 left!) and without new investment it's clear that neither can survive at EIHL level, and with no alternative league other than the ENL/SNL, there's also talk of the EIHL forming a second division for their lesser teams and any EPL/SNL teams who could be interested in joining. Then again, this type of rumour usually does the rounds in the off season anyway so perhaps nothing will come of it.

Thoughts?

[topbeats]

I had read somewhere that representatives from the EIHL had held several 'positive' meetings with the EIHA, and also overheard a comment in Peterborough that the entire league system was due to have an overhaul this season (comments heard via Peterborough people, not Telford)

Maybe we're looking at the long awaited full league system with promotion, relegation as this year the EIHL are due to reduce import limits again too.

[tom]

I personally favour a "BNL mark 2" for the lesser Elite League clubs and the bigger EPL teams. It seems to me that there are currently 3 leagues mashed into 2 in this country.

A new league could include:

Basingstoke
Manchester
Fife
Guildford
Newcastle
Edinburgh
Slough
Milton Keynes

They could then have cross over games with the teams that are left in the EIHL. Would also return the EPL to the level it was before the big boys came in (not blaming them by the way, they had nowhere else to go) which might tempt the likes of Chelmsford, Romford, Invicta and Wightlink back.

[tallpaul]

I don't feel in any way qualified to comment on this so I should probably keep my mouth shut - but won't this serve to bump the Tigers (and probably Bracknell, Swindon, Sheffield, etc) down to a third tier of hockey in the UK?

Reducing Elite League import quotas will also put an increasing premium on half-decent Brits, the majority of whom will then ply their trade in the top two tiers making those teams below very definitely development teams.

From a purely personal, and no doubt quite selfish, point of view I feel that I enjoyed the hockey I saw from the Tigers in the late 80's more than the (limited) hockey I've seen more recently, because I think it was of a higher quality. I suspect that I may not be alone in that opinion hence the comparative spectator numbers.

After an initial culture shock I am quite comfortable wth where Tigers are at as a development team in a development year, and I have no illusions of Elite League level hockey in Telford, but I'm struggling to see how a restructuring of the sort being proposed will benefit senior level hockey in Telford. I just don't see how this will put bums on seats in Telford, which would in turn brinig in sponsors thus kick starting the virtuous circle we need to secure decent quality hockey for the longer term.

I'm sure I'm missing the point entirely on this and I'm more than happy to be put right, but if the EIHL administrators and clubs have made a pigs ear of their operating models and finances then they can sort that out themselves and they can leave my hockey alone.

About the only thing I might consider (and I've not really thought this through properly so I could be putting my neck on the line with something that is fatally flawed), is a farm team principle with proper financial ties between 'major' and 'minor' teams.

Anyway, Tom, you asked for thoughts so you've got them. Warts and all!!

[tom]

You raise some interesting points tallpaul.

I'm of the opinion that the big money teams going into their own league with the lower end EIHL teams would be good for Tigers. Imagine how competitive we'd be in a league with Bracknell, Swindon, Peterborough, Sheffield, Invicta, Romford, Chelmsford and Wightlink. They're all teams with similar quality squads and budgets to ourselves and I believe that even with the drop in imports to 3 that would be required to get the ENL teams back in, the hockey would be worth watching. The increased chance of winning could also draw in more fans and sponsors.

I'd also personally favour a scrapping of the import limit in the top two (i.e. EIHL and "EIHL2") leagues. It's common knowledge that the import limit means non-EIHL quality Brits get roster spots at Elite League level by default, and that the need to have top end Brits pushes their value up artificially. The best Brits would still be able to play in the Elite League, they'd just have to lower their wage demands. The likes of Colin Shields, Jonathan Weaver and David Clarke will always be in demand. I'd have a stirctly monitored wagecap to ensure that the leagues remained competitive though.

The "new look" EPL would still have the import limit however, as the main focus for teams at our level should be development and local players, based on the budgets most teams have.

It's not just the Elite League that have made a pigs ear of running things, the EPL hasn't been rosy either. We've lost Solihull, Chelmsford, Romford and Wightlink to the ENL because they couldn't afford to play in our league anymore, Bracknell have had the begging buckets out at least once, Sheffield looked like they wouldn't start this season until a new owner came in at the eleventh hour, Peterborough have had to slash their wage bill at least twice, and we of course mothballed. In my opinion the EPL was doomed the minute the BNL clubs joined when their league folded and upped the ante, and that was exacerbated when Basingstoke and Manchester dropped down. Now we've got a situation where the top 4 or 5 clubs will want to press on, increase their spending and look for the league to get better, whilst the have-not's like us will struggle to catch up with them.

Your point about the bigger crowds in the 80s is a good one, but I'd put that down to Tigers being more competitive and the lack of other entertainment options at the time. There was no satelitte TV, internet, games consoles, DVDs etc then. Heck, there were only 3 TV channels, so for most people it was probably a choice between going to the hockey or Big Break ;D Were tickets cheaper as a % of income then as well, if you get what I mean by that?

[tallpaul]

Yep, should have kept my mouth shut.

Truth is I have no idea whether your ideas would benefit Tigers or not.

I'd obviously misunderstood the EIHL import limit point. Is the proposal that the limit is scrapped entirely? Yes, that could help secure decent Brits in the lower divisions in the short-term but, then again, I think I would have a principled objection to the top tier of any sport in this Country being almost exclusvely played by overseas players. That seems like a short-term money making move rather than something geared around sustainable development of the sport in the UK.

As to whether your suggestions would improve the quality of hockey in whatever division Telford ended up in - I'm not convinced. Speaking personally, I wouldn't enjoy a lower quality product even if we were winning. I fear that the excitement of winning would soon be dulled by the realisation that what I was watching wasn't great. Maybe being a member of the 'older generation' has spoiled me a bit though and perhaps winning is enough to attract new faces to the rink. In that case I would have to accept that it was for the best - even if it meant I stopped coming.

I should say that in between my stopping to watch the Tigers donkey's years ago and my return this season, I did watch a few games of whatever the highest level available in Telford was but I didn't go back afterwards. I honestly can't remember whether the Telford team won or not but I do remember that I wasn't excited enough about the product to become a regular.

Oh, and you make the late 80's seem like such a long time ago. We did have electricity and even [glow=red,2,300]colour[/glow] television back then you know!

Anyway, I'm rambing - and I still have no idea what I'm talking about!

[tom]

Jan 15, 2011 18:38:18 GMT tallpaul said:

I'd obviously misunderstood the EIHL import limit point. Is the proposal that the limit is scrapped entirely? Yes, that could help secure decent Brits in the lower divisions in the short-term but, then again, I think I would have a principled objection to the top tier of any sport in this Country being almost exclusvely played by overseas players. That seems like a short-term money making move rather than something geared around sustainable development of the sport in the UK.

The proposal is rumoured to be a drop in numbers, not scrapping the import quota entirely. I was just saying that I'd favour scrapping it to remove the artificial market where Brits can earn more than they're worth.

I kind of agree with you here, the only thing is that British players in the Elite League have put themselves in this position by asking for inflated wages, as they know a team can't win the league without at least one or two top Brits. I'd also argue that it should be the lower leagues (EPL and ENL) that develop Brits and then, when they're good enough, they can sign for an Elite team. I don't think the top league should be used for developing Brits except in special cases (like Venus at Coventry this year).