chunk
Third Line Grinder
Posts: 178
|
Post by chunk on Apr 6, 2016 12:46:23 GMT
According to Neil Black there could be a London franchise joining alongside Milton Keynes in 2017, but he'd like to see the league increased even further to 14 teams.
Any thoughts on who those teams might be, who you'd like to see join the EIHL and what format the league/conferences should be with the extra teams?
|
|
|
Post by Stuart Coles on Apr 6, 2016 13:22:10 GMT
I'd like to see a measured expansion - so for 2017-18 - I'd like to see MK & London join and increase the league to 12 teams. If you stick with the current conference structure, MK & London would probably head into the Erhardt conference and Belfast moving to the Gardiner to even out the numbers.
Based on the current 8 games in conference, 4 games out of conference - that would give us a 64 game regular season. If you switched it to an even 6 games against each opponent, you'd have a 66 game regular season. If you keep the Challenge Cup as well, both of those are too long by about 10 games (current season is 52 regular season + 8 cup group games + extras)
You could play 6 games in conference, 4 games out of conference; which would be a 54 game regular season and more in line with the current structure.
You could also split the teams into three conferences...and then there's a lot of permutations on how you could make it work.
(A) Cardiff, Coventry, London, MK (B) Belfast, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield (C) Braehead, Dundee, Edinburgh, Fife
|
|
chunk
Third Line Grinder
Posts: 178
|
Post by chunk on Apr 6, 2016 13:49:08 GMT
I'd be surprised if Belfast were happy to move to the Gardiner and if the other teams were happy with it. Three conferences would make the most sense to me, "the Arenas", "the Scots" and "the rest". 6 games in conference and 4 games cross conference, plus the challenge cup gives the same number of games we have now. It would give all the fans more variety and us a chance of not finishing last in our conference too.
Going forward I'd like to see Hull back in the league - their new owners managed to keep the Steeldogs reasonably competitive on what was probably the lowest budget in the EPL and despite being next door to the Steelers. I'd like to see what they can achieve at a higher level (and I miss the chips).
I can't work out who Black thinks will be the 14th team though - unless it's Guildford, but everyone knows he hates them...
|
|
scott
Third Line Grinder
Posts: 92
|
Post by scott on Apr 6, 2016 14:40:48 GMT
Well since there is potentially a rink and building soon to be available in Cardiff Bay then it could be moved to another city without a rink.
Caveats being the state of the wood having been by the coast for so long and the plant.
Also somebody having the money to actually want to make it happen.
London sounded at the forum as if it will be a new build. The fans forum is well worth watching if you haven't seen it yet.
|
|
|
Post by Stuart Coles on Apr 6, 2016 14:49:03 GMT
The fans forum is well worth watching if you haven't seen it yet. You can view and discuss it here
|
|
chunk
Third Line Grinder
Posts: 178
|
Post by chunk on Apr 6, 2016 14:52:56 GMT
In this article published by WalesOnline last month there is this quote about the BBT:
"While Devils settle in their new home, their former Big Blue Tent rink is coming to the end of it’s life in Cardiff Bay.
The BBT is to be taken down early next month (April) and the main structure is to be re-erected in one of the car parks at Elland Road, home of Cardiff City’s Championship rivals Leeds United.
Safety glass from Devils’ old home base, built almost 10 years ago with a planned life of between three and five years, could go to Peterborough’s rink. When the BBT is taken away the area will be used for extra car parking."
What I can't work out from that is if the whole arena is being moved to Leeds or if it's being broken up with parts used in different rinks. If it's the former then I'd like to see it moved to the North East eventually.
I think I've read that London's franchise (the London Emperors) is going to be based at Wembley Arena, but they have had problems installing the ice plant - presumably they're close to a solution now though.
|
|
|
Post by andrewm on Apr 7, 2016 16:49:52 GMT
I agree that a structured expansion of the EIHL is a good idea (say, two new teams from 2017, then maybe another two from either 2018 or 2019). It also means a chance to shake up the conferences, not least because the make-up of the two current ones (in terms of quality) is vast. All trophies went to teams from the Erhardt. Because of the eight games against fellow conference sides, with only four against the other conference teams, a team like Blaze has a much harder task in qualifying for the Playoffs than, say, Dundee, Fife or Braehead (no disrespect intended).
I think each team should play each other the same number of times.
|
|
|
Post by hannah on Apr 7, 2016 17:50:06 GMT
I can appreciate wanting teams to play each other the same number of times, but I can't see teams agreeing to it. The Nottingham/Sheffield games are their biggest attendances of the season and I imagine Gardiner teams won't want to give up their games either; it's easier to sell tickets if people think the game will be competitive.
Personally I think it'll be a minefield re-arranging and accommodating extra teams, I don't envy whoever has that job!
|
|
philg
Benchwarmer
Posts: 34
|
Post by philg on Apr 7, 2016 19:38:56 GMT
Best news for a long time I think the repetitive fixture list was getting rather tiresome .i can see it remaining as two conferences though as 12 teams ,but if it ever gets to 14 maybe back to a league, 2 home and away match ups.
|
|
|
Post by robplaister on Apr 14, 2016 19:43:57 GMT
I have a feeling the 12th team won't be from London, much further North
|
|
philg
Benchwarmer
Posts: 34
|
Post by philg on Apr 14, 2016 21:01:29 GMT
Greenland? ?
|
|
|
Post by robplaister on Apr 14, 2016 22:15:56 GMT
Not that far!
|
|
fleece
Third Line Grinder
Posts: 58
|
Post by fleece on Apr 15, 2016 8:12:08 GMT
if we're talking about Aberdeen, it might as well be Greenland!
|
|
scott
Third Line Grinder
Posts: 92
|
Post by scott on Apr 15, 2016 8:13:21 GMT
Rumour is the BBT was going to Leeds but I guess we'll just wait and see.
|
|
chunk
Third Line Grinder
Posts: 178
|
Post by chunk on Apr 15, 2016 8:57:41 GMT
I have a feeling the 12th team won't be from London, much further North Give us a clue ;-) Anywhere in the North of England would be good. There's quite a gap between Manchester/Sheffield and the Scottish teams as it stands, so that's a lot of people with virtually no opportunity of getting to an Elite League hockey game.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2016 11:20:14 GMT
There was rumours of an Aberdeen team joining.
Not sure why, but I think we might lose Edinburgh soon.
|
|
chunk
Third Line Grinder
Posts: 178
|
Post by chunk on Apr 15, 2016 12:28:48 GMT
There was rumours of an Aberdeen team joining. Not sure why, but I think we might lose Edinburgh soon. I think Aberdeen's rink holds something like 1,100, so surely they would need to expand or at least have plans for such before they apply for the EIHL? With the way the ice hockey community is in the UK, someone would've heard if such plans were in the public domain and posted about it online. New rinks don't just appear overnight and nor do expansions. I know the Capitals struggled at the end of the season, but I don't see them dropping out unless they go bust, as there's simply nowhere for them to go. Scott Neil appears far from the perfect owner from where I'm sitting, but I don't think he's the type to let them disappear either.
|
|
|
Post by robplaister on Apr 15, 2016 13:42:48 GMT
Not that far North!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2016 16:10:50 GMT
There was rumours of an Aberdeen team joining. Not sure why, but I think we might lose Edinburgh soon. I think Aberdeen's rink holds something like 1,100, so surely they would need to expand or at least have plans for such before they apply for the EIHL? With the way the ice hockey community is in the UK, someone would've heard if such plans were in the public domain and posted about it online. New rinks don't just appear overnight and nor do expansions. I know the Capitals struggled at the end of the season, but I don't see them dropping out unless they go bust, as there's simply nowhere for them to go. Scott Neil appears far from the perfect owner from where I'm sitting, but I don't think he's the type to let them disappear either. To be brutally honest, I have little time for Scott Neil. He uses the team to play in the SNL and EIHL and has done nothing for the fans and to improve the club since the start of the eihl.
|
|
|
Post by redvark on Apr 27, 2016 9:15:39 GMT
The issue with London is that given that it's a Black project this would give one owner 3 teams in a 14 team league, that's way to much influence, and I already think he has too much. Leeds is a new name in the frame but it's difficult to see where the fanbase would come from without stealing from the Steelers, it's not like there is a history of hockey in that area, the obvious place would be a bit further north around the Tees/Tyne/Wear area where there is a history of hockey and a couple of existing lower league teams. Aberdeen is seen by most people in Scotland as a work in progress, and certainly not one that'll come on line before 2020.
Caps fans will fight like mad to keep their team afloat
|
|