League expansion

[NickThePanther44]

Apparently it has been said at a recent Elite meeting that there are four teams that are due to join in the next two seasons, two of them English teams.

The guys never been wrong before, he told me about Scott Allison joining us and Hull joining the league before it was public knowledge.

Just thought I'd share it. My guess would be two out of Fife, Dundee and Dundalk and one of the two English teams to be MK

Nick

[dms41853]

4 teams would be perfect to expand the league and all the competitions that go with it i hope it happens.

[Higgy]

14 teams is a perfect size but as long as week keep 10 stable teams for the next few season im happy

[chrisb]

Could this be one of the reasons why the league chose to make the rule changes this summer?
It does confirm the rules for any teams joining next summer or the summer after, rather than having them join and then suddenly doing a Koenig (moving the goalposts....)

[Toneys#24]

Slough must be a definate. Loads of cash that would be enough for elite level, though they'd only be Hull standard. Guildford probably, the are almost too dominant in the lower leagues and always sign the best players (Smital being one).

Who could it be outside England, Dundalk? Fife? Dundee? or even Ayr?

[NickThePanther44]

Slough have got better financial backing than some Elite teams so I could see them coming up in the next few seasons and competing to at least a similar level to Manchester. Guildford are a big team in a small league, I know they like being a big fish in a small pond but I would imagine they will at some stage jump to Elite level as the fans would surely prefer it. MK have made it clear they want to move up when the time is right as have Dundalk. Fife and Dundee will without doubt be Elite members in the next three seasons as it just makes sense, they are giants compared to the teams they are having to compete with at the minute.

I know we've had some pretty rough times in the last ten years with UK hockey but if we can keep these ten teams we've got at the moment stable and slowly expand then coupled with BMI's backing and a possible SKY deal the future could be quite good, well I'm optimistic anyway. It certainly looks a million times better than this time five years ago.

Nick

[QuidProQuo]

Am i right in saying that MK could join the league whenever they wanted to anyway???

[Alf Garnett]

14 teams would be ideal for the league IMO. All play each other 4 times for a total of 52 games. However it is only a good idea if the teams stepping up are financially stable and competitive. We don't really want teams in just for numerical convenience do we?

[matt44]

May 10, 2008 19:15:47 GMT QuidProQuo said:

Am i right in saying that MK could join the league whenever they wanted to anyway???

I believe they were given a 2 year option by the EIHL - in that if they had the right backing they could join anytime within 2 years. I think this coming season is the last they have on that option.

I'm probably wrong though.

I think what's most important is 1 or 2 more teams up in Scotland to give Edinburgh an easier ride regarding travel etc.....and a good rivalry or 2 would help to get attendances up etc......

[NickThePanther44]

A team in the Republic would create a great rivalry for Belfast, I'd imagine it would put our ever increasingly shoddy rivalry to shame

[dms41853]

The league will NEED:

1 x irish team
1 x scottish team
2 x southern uk teams

This will help with rivalries and get fans interested.

Also 14 teams in the league could mean:
Playing teams home and away twice for 52 regular season games
Make it top 10 qualify for playoffs, have 2 groups round robin then playoff final weekend.
Bko- all teams take part with 2 teams getting a first round bye but make it one leg ties
Cc- remains as it is but with 7 teams in each group will make it more competitive.

I've said all the above before, i think doing this will bring the best competitions, more meaningful games which the fans want imo.

[Adam]

How can MK possibly join there rink is awful!

[Jay]

What about Bracknell?

[Yotes]

May 11, 2008 0:13:22 GMT @dms41853 said:

The league will NEED:

1 x irish team
1 x scottish team
2 x southern uk teams

This will help with rivalries and get fans interested.

Also 14 teams in the league could mean:
Playing teams home and away twice for 52 regular season games
Make it top 10 qualify for playoffs, have 2 groups round robin then playoff final weekend.

I agree with your breakdown of where the teams should come from Spence, but got to disagree with 10 from 14 making the playoffs. If it was harder to get into, the end of season games might mean a little more to the mid table teams as they try to secure places, so if it did go to 14 I'd want to see 8 in 6 out.

[NickThePanther44]

May 11, 2008 0:17:24 GMT Adam said:

How can MK possibly join there rink is awful!

Thats the main issue, they were to modernise there rink before joining. I think the renovation work was to be completed this summer so they could be ready to join in 2009/10

[dodit]

I'm all for the league expanding but tbh i can see the import amount going up again eventually because of the amount of brits there are. If the import amount did go up then we are going to be back at square one again.

[Toneys#24]

May 11, 2008 0:30:16 GMT Jay said:

What about Bracknell?

They had a lot of money problems last season and couldn't compete at elite level with the solution thats in place for the time being. Maybe in 4-5 seasons if they sort themselves out again.

[Higgy]

MK are currently carrying out renovation work and im lead to believe that they will apply to join once their rink has been sorted out. Slough although they have the finaicial backing the rink they play out is awful, it only seats about 800 if that and reminds me a lot of Lee Valley where the Racers played out of.

I think top 8 play offs and no more than that, scrap the BKO and just expand the play off competition

[dodit]

If we were to extend the playoffs, then make it something like the NHL's playoffs. Might make it a bit more exciting.

[Higgy]

May 11, 2008 15:00:26 GMT @dodit said:

If we were to extend the playoffs, then make it something like the NHL's playoffs. Might make it a bit more exciting.

The problem is would people be happy to sacrifice the play off weekend for a series type play offs? For me i wouldnt be

[dms41853]

May 11, 2008 15:00:26 GMT @dodit said:

If we were to extend the playoffs, then make it something like the NHL's playoffs. Might make it a bit more exciting.

The main problem with a series of games is teams getting guaranteed ice time and you know how we struggle with that as it is.

Also as higgy said i like the playoff weekend and wouldn't want to lose that.

I think the epl playoff format will suit the league as i've said before- 2 groups round robin then finals weekend.

[Yotes]

I would actually be willing to sacrifice the PO Weekend for a proper NHL style format, but as you say Spence that won't happen with the ice times, so I'd back a return of the round robin stage.

[oldman]

i think this idea of a new FA cup type of competiton would be good, bring in all the smaller leagues in stages as with the FA cup rounds and also good chance of the smaller clubs getting a decent payday, make them all over two legs, can you imagine some of our guys reaction at say romford or isle of wight etc! Would also be good for us to see some different faces and chances of shock wins!

[keefe a.k.a Donk]

I would count Slough out of joining the Elite. The Jets owner Koznic works for a big american bank, and as such he had a big american salary which he used to bankroll Slough, hence the reason they had hardly any sponsors last year, and they certainly dont pay Jan's wages on ticket sales, they rarely break the 750 mark. However, the bank he works for has gone bust, so i will expect the money to dry up now, so for that reason i dont see Jets in the EIHL.

Teams in the EPL that i can see joining are MK as they are a director of the elite league anyway, they just have to sort the hell hole of the rink out and get some hot running water!!!! But its a planet ice rink......
Romford could join i guess, but they have almost complete control of the EPL so no sure if they would want to join a league they cant run... they have it pretty good at the mo, but they are getting a nice new arena and have the fan base.
Guilford have applied to join many times already, and every time they get knocked back, presumable some of the EIHL teams still have a bitter taste from the whole ISL/BNL fiasco.
Telford will be joining within the next 3 years. New owner, new arena being built and a dedication to bring top flight hockey to telford, so i would expect to see the Tigers playing Elite hockey.

Thats it though... Chelmsford have folded, Isle of Wight are struggling, Sheffield already has an EIHL team, Swindon arnt that big a team, Bracknell..... i guess its a case of wait and see... they are certainly big enough in terms of support and history but have had a lot of problems the last year.

[rangers]

May 11, 2008 16:34:14 GMT oldman said:

i think this idea of a new FA cup type of competiton would be good, bring in all the smaller leagues in stages as with the FA cup rounds and also good chance of the smaller clubs getting a decent payday, make them all over two legs, can you imagine some of our guys reaction at say romford or isle of wight etc! Would also be good for us to see some different faces and chances of shock wins!

This cup competition everyone is yapping on about.
Everyone wants to see EPL, ENL and EIHL in it but it could not work.
You would have to limit imports when EIHL teams play lower league teams - otherwise it would be a farce.
Now hypothetically, lets say Newcastle Vipers EIHL draw Newcastle Vipers ENL.
Where are the Elite team going to find enough Brits to make a team? Under normal circumstances they would draw on the ENL team, but that would not be possible in this position.

That situation would be seen at a number of other clubs. Panthers included.