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Post by tootootrain on Sept 15, 2014 9:21:23 GMT
Having a read of various articles regarding the current problems Sheffield are having with the Motorpoint Arena's ice plant I'm drawn to ask, how long do folk think they can carry on as is?
Sheffield are undoubtedly lucky in that they have an alternative venue (Ice Sheffield) to play out of but, given they are an 'Arena Team' how viable is this longer term?
To start with, it is rumoured they have circa 1700 season ticket fans, but with IS only holding 1500 the current plan seems to be scrubbing cancelled Arena games for later non-league arena games. Realistically how long can this go on? Will the Steelers have to start offering refunds?
Secondary, I think its fair to assume that teams use season ticket income to fund initial season costs (bringing in players, paying travel/housing costs, kit purchases etc) with the long-term costs offset against future income. Given the team that Steelers have assembled it is unlikely it can be sustained from the reduced income made from games played at IS alone, so how long may it be before belts have to be tightened?
Finally, if this drags on (worse case scenario, complete pad installs can take approximately three months) and ice availability becomes an issue, leading to potential fixture congestion, how much leeway do folk think the EIHL should grant Sheffield? Fixtures could only be prosponded so much before it unduly effected other teams/the overall league. Should other teams suck it up or should the league impose a cutoff beyond which games can't be prosponded, only forfeited?
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Shorty
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Post by Shorty on Sept 15, 2014 9:39:37 GMT
There are loads of issues that go hand in hand with it as well:
Sponsorship - if you have paid to advertise to crowds of circa 4,000, you are not going to be best pleased. 50-50 - I know we joke about it, but if you lose over 2000 potential punters, it's a lot of money Walk up fans - if there is no scope to pay on the door, they could be losing future fans
I can't see other clubs subsidising a good roster, so am not sure where they are heading
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Post by dreadface on Sept 15, 2014 9:52:22 GMT
Surely responsibility for lost revenue would be Motorpoint arenas? I would like to think that the Elite League would be as accommodating as possible as I hope they would be if something similar happened to Nottingham.
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Post by tootootrain on Sept 15, 2014 10:10:52 GMT
Surely responsibility for lost revenue would be Motorpoint arenas? I would like to think that the Elite League would be as accommodating as possible as I hope they would be if something similar happened to Nottingham. Tony Smith has said there is no scope for compensation for lost revenue. m.thestar.co.uk/sport/ice-hockey/ice-hockey-season-melting-away-at-leaky-sheffield-arena-1-6830600Must be something previously agreed between Steelers/SIV. As for being accommodating, just how much accommodation could realisticly be expected without unduly affecting the schedules of other teams/the progression of the league? As unfortunate as this situation is there is the scheduling requirements of nine other teams to think about also.
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Yotes
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Post by Yotes on Sept 15, 2014 11:25:01 GMT
It would help if they knew how long it was going to be out of action for. Maybe they could try and rearrange fixtures to front load the Steelers with away games and buy them time? Difficult of course, but probably not impossible.
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Post by GuinnessMan on Sept 15, 2014 12:13:47 GMT
Maybe a wakeup call to all eihl teams to properly consider this risk in their business continuity plans?
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Post by tootootrain on Sept 15, 2014 12:50:27 GMT
Maybe a wakeup call to all eihl teams to properly consider this risk in their business continuity plans? That is easy to say but just how likely an occurrence is this and what are realistically the contingency options? If, for instance, the arena pad at the NIC were out of use for an extended period of time, the existence of a second pad in Nottingham would hardly be of help for games. Whilst I'm aware in the LPS days Panthers played a few games out of Peterborough I'd suggest that, given the number of season ticket holders Panthers have far outweighs the capacity of Peterborough, we'd be in a similar boat as Sheffield are currently with Ice Sheffield. But this is a little off-topic. My concern is what happens this season if this issue drags on?
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Post by kingmonkeybutt on Sept 15, 2014 21:22:13 GMT
rent them out the nic
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Post by GuinnessMan on Sept 16, 2014 6:37:45 GMT
Maybe a wakeup call to all eihl teams to properly consider this risk in their business continuity plans? That is easy to say but just how likely an occurrence is this and what are realistically the contingency options? If, for instance, the arena pad at the NIC were out of use for an extended period of time, the existence of a second pad in Nottingham would hardly be of help for games. Whilst I'm aware in the LPS days Panthers played a few games out of Peterborough I'd suggest that, given the number of season ticket holders Panthers have far outweighs the capacity of Peterborough, we'd be in a similar boat as Sheffield are currently with Ice Sheffield. I'm not saying i know the answer or that there is indeed an easy answer, but a Business Continuity Plan / Disaster Plan is a process to consider the potential What If's for those potentially serious issues. Alternatively, they can cross their fingers.
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Post by bruinspanthers on Sept 16, 2014 13:23:38 GMT
That is easy to say but just how likely an occurrence is this and what are realistically the contingency options? If, for instance, the arena pad at the NIC were out of use for an extended period of time, the existence of a second pad in Nottingham would hardly be of help for games. Whilst I'm aware in the LPS days Panthers played a few games out of Peterborough I'd suggest that, given the number of season ticket holders Panthers have far outweighs the capacity of Peterborough, we'd be in a similar boat as Sheffield are currently with Ice Sheffield. I'm not saying i know the answer or that there is indeed an easy answer, but a Business Continuity Plan / Disaster Plan is a process to consider the potential What If's for those potentially serious issues. Alternatively, they can cross their fingers. I believe crossing fingers is the preferred method for EIHL clubs
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Post by tootootrain on Sept 16, 2014 13:30:56 GMT
I believe crossing fingers is the preferred method for EIHL clubs Realistically, with regards to contingency options if there is long-term ice plant failure, what else could they do?
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Post by pantherdman on Sept 16, 2014 15:04:44 GMT
Probably need some business insurance? Or just go bust, fold and start again?
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nate24
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Post by nate24 on Sept 16, 2014 15:06:34 GMT
Probably need some business insurance? Or just go bust, fold and start again? Oh come on, what professional sports team with self respect would ever do that......
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Post by bruinspanthers on Sept 16, 2014 15:58:49 GMT
I believe crossing fingers is the preferred method for EIHL clubs Realistically, with regards to contingency options if there is long-term ice plant failure, what else could they do? Fair point, just a nightmare scenario for any team Hearing that it's going to be fixed now and they might be able to play against Belfast this weekend
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Warren
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Post by Warren on Sept 17, 2014 11:42:29 GMT
It would help if they knew how long it was going to be out of action for. Maybe they could try and rearrange fixtures to front load the Steelers with away games and buy them time? Difficult of course, but probably not impossible. This has been done before for both ends of the season, both for Giants. It was pre planned loss of Arena time (Mama Mia was on once) So it is do-able.
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Phil Mitchell
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Post by Phil Mitchell on Sept 18, 2014 8:03:54 GMT
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Post by tootootrain on Sept 18, 2014 8:24:28 GMT
From that spiel... I know it is a PR aimed at generally dim folk but what metric did they use to come up with that, or did Tony (DS the BS) just pull something from his cheap and nasty polyester jersey draped backside?
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Yotes
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Post by Yotes on Sept 18, 2014 10:56:40 GMT
Yes, the league's leading facility, which has no ice.
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Post by pantherdman on Sept 18, 2014 11:04:50 GMT
As much as I moan about the panthers, it could always be worse. I just don't understand why we can't blow these amateur clubs out the water? Well I do, that's the problem. Are we in the euro league yet?
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iginla
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Post by iginla on Sept 18, 2014 11:08:01 GMT
And plexi glass that you can't see through properly.
Only Sheffield could come out with a statement like Tony Smith has......what a plonker !
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Post by ted logan on Sept 18, 2014 12:46:33 GMT
And plexi glass that you can't see through properly. And black ice
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Post by tootootrain on Sept 18, 2014 12:57:22 GMT
Not really a problem for them right now.
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Post by spik on Sept 18, 2014 18:31:54 GMT
From that spiel... I know it is a PR aimed at generally dim folk but what metric did they use to come up with that, or did Tony (DS the BS) just pull something from his cheap and nasty polyester jersey draped backside? Like 'World Famous'......
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Post by tootootrain on Sept 18, 2014 18:43:37 GMT
Like 'World Famous'...... It could be argued "World Famous" is unmeasurable filler, whereas "the leagues leading facility" is based on some kind of performance metric. Both terms are tosh but the former is unverifiable whereas the latter sounds like it should be verifiable.
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iginla
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Post by iginla on Sept 18, 2014 20:05:19 GMT
Unverifiable ?
Blimey,this forum is getting rather "highbrow" these days !
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