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Post by GuinnessMan on May 22, 2018 19:29:02 GMT
www.panthers.co.uk/home/three-home-three-away-to-decide-titleEIHL CONFIRM LEAGUE STRUCTURE FOR 2018-19 SEASON The Elite Ice Hockey League Board have confirmed the 11-team league structure for the upcoming season. At the EIHL League Meeting today, The Board approved a straight 11 team league with each team facing each other 6 times - 3 home & 3 away. The structure replaces the former league model that saw clubs play the teams in their own conference more times than the teams in the other conferences. The 3 conferences will still remain, with all league games against conference opponents counting towards the Conference Championship. The Gardiner Conference will only have 3 teams instead of 4, after the Edinburgh Capitals failed to secure an ice time agreement for next season. The new 11-team format means that the league will be played over 60 games instead of 56, giving each club 30 home league matches instead of 28 last season. The structure for the Challenge Cup will be confirmed in due course and announced after the EIHL Fixtures meeting in late June. A spokeswoman for Panthers said:”With eleven teams this straight formula was the obvious outcome. The conference system has been great for the league and has helped the businesses grow. "The conference titles still exist, which is right, but it is also good that the league championship will be decided by the teams playing the same opposition the same number of times.”
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Post by wgray on May 22, 2018 19:43:18 GMT
The club have also said on Twitter that the ‘season’ ticket will only cover 28 games and further details will be released on what they have planned. Looks like the two extra home games are going to cost us.
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iginla
Chick Zamick
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Post by iginla on May 22, 2018 19:44:41 GMT
I hope they are giving the fans the 2 extra home games for free. Mmmmm....think not ! I’m feeling a massive “one pound discount” coming, even though Mr Black will trouser an extra £100k from 2 extra average home crowds.
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Post by Bagheera on May 22, 2018 19:45:13 GMT
A little suprised, but overall good news for me. Even games against everyone, including more games v Coventry. I was in support of the confrences in terms of the 4 and 2 split in the past. Purely because i'd rather see Steelers 4 times at home as oposed to having to put up with poor teams like the caps 3 times. Now the other teams are more competitive it works in all ways like this considering.
And before anybody goes after it. You were sold season ticket with the best intentions of the club. If you have to pay for an extra 1 or 3 games you can't really blame them. Amd i'd be shocked if the boxing day game isn't in it either. They've never taken it away before whe this has happened. On the other hand a bit of a deal. 😁
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Post by John Casey on May 22, 2018 19:47:37 GMT
A little suprised, but overall good news for me. Even games against everyone, including more games v Coventry. I was in support of the confrences in terms of the 4 and 2 split in the past. Purely because i'd rather see Steelers 4 times at home as oposed to having to put up with poor teams like the caps 3 times. Now the other teams are more competitive it works in all ways like this considering. And before anybody goes after it. You were sold season ticket with the best intentions of the club. If you have to pay for an extra 1 or 3 games you can't really blame them. Amd i'd be shocked if the boxing day game isn't in it either. They've never taken it away before whe this has happened. On the other hand a bit of a deal. 😁 [br Yeah I think that Christmas game will be extra
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BigLad
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Post by BigLad on May 22, 2018 20:05:13 GMT
That reads to me that the 3 Sheffield games WILL be on the ST.
I reckon New Years Eve v Blaze will be a paid game. As for the other, they'd be daft for it not to be a Friday or Saturday game.
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Post by kievthegreat on May 22, 2018 20:24:10 GMT
Happy with the league structure. Gives the Patton and Gardiner teams a trophy to win, but doesn't adversely affect the league standings.
I also feel criticism of not including the extra games is a bit unfair. If you bought a season ticket you bought it for 28 games, that's still what you're getting. Especially as it's implied that Steelers games will still be included.
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iginla
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Post by iginla on May 22, 2018 20:58:14 GMT
Happy with the league structure. Gives the Patton and Gardiner teams a trophy to win, but doesn't adversely affect the league standings. I also feel criticism of not including the extra games is a bit unfair. If you bought a season ticket you bought it for 28 games, that's still what you're getting. Especially as it's implied that Steelers games will still be included. Club win two extra home crowds income. Fans shell out more money. Players get same money as the season stays the same length but they play more games. Mr Black must be laughing all the way to the bank again !
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Yotes
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Post by Yotes on May 22, 2018 20:59:00 GMT
I don't mind the longer season particularly, but CC attendance might take a dip with 2 league games to pay for. And at least people can stop worrying about Braehead not winning the league again because of their easy conference
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Post by John Casey on May 22, 2018 20:59:46 GMT
That reads to me that the 3 Sheffield games WILL be on the ST. I reckon New Years Eve v Blaze will be a paid game. As for the other, they'd be daft for it not to be a Friday or Saturday game. Yes that makes all the sense in the world. I'm guessing that the New Years game will be played on the 31st (As Elf The Stage Show is playing from the 28th-30th December) therefore assuming it would be a 15:00 Face Off, not all Season Ticket holders can make the game so it wouldn't seem like Season Ticket holders would be missing out.
What is interesting is who would be the opposition for the paid games. If it states that it won't be against all our biggest rivals, I think that eliminates Cardiff, Belfast, Sheffield and Coventry (Which may mean that the New Years game won't be extra)
I'm just wondering if one these paid games might be the League Opener (If it's a Scottish team or Guildford)
I'm assuming that they will tell us what the paid games are ASAP, not a wait and see
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2018 21:00:31 GMT
If we were going with a league of 11 then the 60 game option was the best way forward. Sure there will be a team or two who won’t have a great year but we won’t have a team struggle to get their points tally into double digits like Edinburgh so for me our league has just gone up in credibility.
Won’t happen but I’d like to see the CC to be as short a format as possible for this year and give the GB setup at least two ‘international weekends’ to get together. Maybe an EIHL Imports V GB weekend or something. This is such a big 12 months for hockey in this country, I hope the league sees the bigger picture because if GB make waves again next year it will only have a positive effect on our league and how we are viewed around the world.
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iginla
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Post by iginla on May 22, 2018 21:01:50 GMT
I don't mind the longer season particularly, but CC attendance might take a dip with 2 league games to pay for. And at least people can stop worrying about Braehead not winning the league again because of their easy conference The players will mind. They were whinging last year about how many games they had to play. And they were moaning like hell about all the off ice crap they had to do too.
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Yotes
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Post by Yotes on May 22, 2018 21:06:13 GMT
Depends what they do with the CC really, as above maybe they'll come up with a nice, cheap, short format this year.
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iginla
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Post by iginla on May 22, 2018 21:54:32 GMT
So we assume there is no bumping up conference winners for play off seedlings next year ?
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Post by deantown on May 22, 2018 22:17:11 GMT
I don't think it is fair to be to harsh on panthers for not offering 2 more games than the season ticket included, but I would have thought that it is a pretty easy show of good faith to their fans to offer a discount.
We'll see, I wonder if all 11 teams agreed not to include the extra games, as not to agrrivate other sets of fans.
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iginla
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Post by iginla on May 22, 2018 22:48:05 GMT
I don't think it is fair to be to harsh on panthers for not offering 2 more games than the season ticket included, but I would have thought that it is a pretty easy show of good faith to their fans to offer a discount. We'll see, I wonder if all 11 teams agreed not to include the extra games, as not to agrrivate other sets of fans. Well it should certainly be a much bigger discount than the measly “one pound” discount that they usually offer. It’s about time this club rewarded its fans for their loyalty instead of taking the pee all the time !
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Post by deantown on May 22, 2018 22:49:04 GMT
Oh was he actually not kidding about a £1 discount! When was that? I don't think it is fair to be to harsh on panthers for not offering 2 more games than the season ticket included, but I would have thought that it is a pretty easy show of good faith to their fans to offer a discount. We'll see, I wonder if all 11 teams agreed not to include the extra games, as not to agrrivate other sets of fans. Well it should certainly be a much bigger discount than the measly “one pound” discount that they usually offer. It’s about time this club rewarded its fans for their loyalty instead of taking the pee all the time !
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Yotes
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Post by Yotes on May 22, 2018 23:35:38 GMT
Season ticket holders get a quid off full price for non-season ticket games. He'll get away with that provided we're not soiling it, so I expect these 2 games to come pre-Christmas It's the CC that needs better pricing, for all fans, especially first round.
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Pies
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Post by Pies on May 23, 2018 3:30:41 GMT
Iginla, in the nicest possible way, give the Panthers a chance to even come up with a plan for what they’re doing before jumping all over them. You’re already taking over the thread bashing them and they’ve not even had a chance!
This was the best outcome for the league all things considered. I have no issues with the new structure. It makes complete sense and we can just enjoy a pre league format. It’ll make the games against Sheffield that little bit more competitive and, as someone has said, another trip to the Skydome is always a bonus for me.
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iginla
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Post by iginla on May 23, 2018 4:21:54 GMT
Iginla, in the nicest possible way, give the Panthers a chance to even come up with a plan for what they’re doing before jumping all over them. You’re already taking over the thread bashing them and they’ve not even had a chance! This was the best outcome for the league all things considered. I have no issues with the new structure. It makes complete sense and we can just enjoy a pre league format. It’ll make the games against Sheffield that little bit more competitive and, as someone has said, another trip to the Skydome is always a bonus for me. Ok I will give them a chance. Then I will jump all over them. 🤣
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Post by spik on May 23, 2018 9:33:20 GMT
60 long games,I don't like this but I know why they are doing it. So the CC and PO will not be changed for the better. The PO's anyway.
The CUP I assume will be shortend to make up for the league programme extension...so I don't think the players will have too much to complain about as they will play as many games as usual.But will have to wait and see.
Panthers 'spokeswoman' statement also confirms what I hoped they knew.That the conference slight towards some teams and all those arguements for it are now history.Pretty clear comment there about the league being a level playing field. So I got something I wanted to see from all this. Just see what the other competitions throw up now.
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Post by Bagheera on May 23, 2018 11:41:13 GMT
www.panthers.co.uk/home/massive-discounts-until-the-end-of-mayWell done Panthers. The way I read it is that ST holders will get the additional games at the rate per game their ST equates to. So if your ticket works out at £12.32 per game that is what you will pay per ticket for the extra games. Can't argue with that.
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EMB
Randall Weber
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Post by EMB on May 23, 2018 11:48:30 GMT
Just what I was ready Bagheera, from the OS: SEASON TICKET HOLDERS WILL PAY THE SAME RATE FOR THOSE GAMES AS THEY HAVE FOR THE OTHER 28 GAMES £12.32 per game in the bronze section, just £13.39 in silver and just £15 in gold for adults. So that not bad at all.
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Yotes
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Post by Yotes on May 23, 2018 11:54:47 GMT
Yep, that's fair. Good move by the club.
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Pies
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Post by Pies on May 23, 2018 12:07:43 GMT
I think that’s absolutely spot on approach. Hopefully when the fixtures come out, they’ll identify the 2 games and let people know what they need to do early doors.
Let’s be honest here, they’re likely to pick 2 Saturday games because well, its smart business. And people can sit and moan about them treating us like cash cows but if they don’t run it like a business to a certain degree, we have no club.
I just hope we get a revamped CC -that’s my biggsets wish from this!
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