Braehead Blackhawks To Join EIHL?

ASHIPP

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#21
#21
Gazza272 said:
ASHIPP said:
This is like the dawn of the Belfast Giants all over again!

Tony Hand for team coach? :cool: Expect some of this season's talented to new faces to be approached for this club. Exciting times ahead.
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I wouldnt be suprised to see his current assistant Ed Courtenay to be the front runner at the moment but who knows!


Intersting off season ahead thats for sure.
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Gazza - forgotten about Mr Courtenay! :oops: But, yes, he's got to be a consideration.
 
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Gazza272

Well-Known Member
#23
#23
James said:
Is it the right area for Mr Heavey ?
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Yep he's definatly in and around this area, although from memory i dont think he handled the travelling well in his last stint with Sheffield and wanted to be closer to his family. Not sure weather playing home games closer to them would suit him better though, i would have to say he is a consideration.
 
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Rempel16

Well-Known Member
#27
#27
For me, it's not so much about the coach they sign, than the players initially. They need to get a few bums-on-seats characters to draw the crowds.

Dare i suggest a cheeky approach for Mcmorrow? He'd be a marketing dream to a new franchise.
 
ASHIPP

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#28
#28
Rempel16 said:
For me, it's not so much about the coach they sign, than the players initially. They need to get a few bums-on-seats characters to draw the crowds.

Dare i suggest a cheeky approach for Mcmorrow? He'd be a marketing dream to a new franchise.
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Just what they need, I'd say! I won't be at all suprised to see a few players we already recognise/know appearing on their roster next season. It's really exciting.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
#29
#29
Great news for the EIHL in general. I'm wondering if this will encourage other new teams to emerge? Is their a limit to how many teams can line up or not. Also guys, this new team, is it pronounced BRAYhead?
 
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Holl_5

New Member
#31
#31
James said:
I thought they said they wanted to be successful and competitive. Why would they want Matsos :lol:
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They definitely won't be looking to poach Adams off you then! :twisted:

It'll be interesting if the rumour of an Elite league team looking at a new player/coach comes off. McMorrow would definitely be a dream signing for them.

Could you imagine how the Panthers fans would feel if Black threw loads of money at the Clan and they won the league in their first season?! Priceless. :shock: :lol:

Well looking forward to a road trip there (hopefully a Steelers/Devils double header - I can dream). If my housemate moves back home to Glasgow then that'll make it nice and cheap!!
 
Finny

Finny

Well-Known Member
#32
Thread starter #32
I wouldn't have thought they would organise it so that two teams do double-headers up there. The main problem with doing 2 games against Edinburgh is that it dilutes the home support for that weekend.

Cardiff and Sheffield both going up there would mean that both Braehead and Edinburgh would have 2 home games that weekend. I know when we have a home game on the Saturday and Sunday the attendances for both go down a bit.

I would expect the Devils to play Braehead on the Saturday, whilst the Caps are playing away somewhere. Then on the Sunday when we go to Edinburgh the Clan will be playing away somewhere.
 
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Holl_5

New Member
#35
#35
Finny said:
The main problem with doing 2 games against Edinburgh is that it dilutes the home support for that weekend.
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It does, you're right. But in the case of both Nottingham and Sheffield double headers you can get about 300-400 away fans that go up for the entire weekend, which I know Edinburgh were thankful of for the last couple of seasons and boosted both night's attendance compared to just getting say 50-100 away supporters for the one game. Added to the fact Braehead is a new road trip you could probably add a few more to that.

Finny said:
Cardiff and Sheffield both going up there would mean that both Braehead and Edinburgh would have 2 home games that weekend. I know when we have a home game on the Saturday and Sunday the attendances for both go down a bit.
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Not quite what I meant by 'double header'. (This 'double header' is only to keep us both happy, of course! ;) :lol: ) Braehead at home on the Saturday to Steelers, Braehead at home to the Devils on the Sunday. It's not that far from Sheffield for just the one game a weekend - about 3 hours. Maybe the Devils could have played in Belfast on the Saturday and flown over for the Sunday...all hypothetically obviously! Edinburgh could have had one, or even two, away games.

Perfect! :lol:

Finny said:
I would expect the Devils to play Braehead on the Saturday, whilst the Caps are playing away somewhere. Then on the Sunday when we go to Edinburgh the Clan will be playing away somewhere.
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In an ideal world, yes. But can you honestly see all the fixtures being that kind to you for all 6 games up there? How often have you played in Edinburgh on the Saturday and then Newcastle on the Sunday to cut down on travelling/costs? Isn't it usually the case that you play Edinburgh away on the Saturday and then travel back to Cardiff for a Sunday home game, or vice versa?! In the last couple of seasons I can only remember you having 1 Edinburgh double header (but my memory is like a sieve).
 
Finny

Finny

Well-Known Member
#36
Thread starter #36
Holl_5 said:
In an ideal world, yes. But can you honestly see all the fixtures being that kind to you for all 6 games up there? How often have you played in Edinburgh on the Saturday and then Newcastle on the Sunday to cut down on travelling/costs? Isn't it usually the case that you play Edinburgh away on the Saturday and then travel back to Cardiff for a Sunday home game, or vice versa?! In the last couple of seasons I can only remember you having 1 Edinburgh double header (but my memory is like a sieve).
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You are right yes - a couple of seasons ago now but I think it was about the second or third week of the season and it was the year the fixtures came out ridiculously late.

Whilst we haven't had double-headers in recent years in Edinburgh - we did have one in Newcastle this season. And I think it was reasonably well attended by Devils fans?

However, I think the EIHL will be giving every team at least one double-header in Scotland this season in an attempt to get as many fans going to both rinks as possible.
I have had no desire to go to Edinburgh to watch the same teams play twice in two nights. Going to Scotland to watch us play two different teams though - totally different prospect. That may sound odd - but I'd definately be up for that. The last Scottish Weekend I went to was in the BNL when we played Edinburgh and Fife. And it was aweeeesome!

Bobs Tours take note!
 
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Gazza272

Well-Known Member
#37
#37
Thinking out loud here might this affect Belfast more than anyone else?


The possability of more fans looking at a scottish weekend might see two games as a more tempting proposition and a novelty as opposed to a Belfast trip they may have done before.
 
Finny

Finny

Well-Known Member
#38
Thread starter #38
Gazza272 said:
Thinking out loud here might this affect Belfast more than anyone else?


The possability of more fans looking at a scottish weekend might see two games as a more tempting proposition and a novelty as opposed to a Belfast trip they may have done before.
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To an extent I think. However, most trips to Belfast seem to be just one game and then a flight back the next day for another home game. Other than the double-header for Nottingham there - has anyone else this season?
A trip to Belfast is usually just a brief flight, game, sleep and then back home. It's a hockey trip.

Whereas a Scotland weekend is usually a mini-holiday. We would go up early Saturday morning/late Friday night. Spend the whole day in Edinburgh before going to a game. Then the next day do the same thing again.

I'm probably not explaining myself very well. For me going to Belfast for one game or Edinburgh for one game is not that alluring. I would feel I was going there for just the game not the city.
A double-header is different and I look at it as a weekend away that involves hockey.

If every club was playing regular double-headers in Belfast then yes, I think it would affect it quite bad. However, most people who go to Belfast for just 1 game will still go to Belfast for just 1 game.
 
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ledgend777

Member
#39
#39
Will this mean going back to 3 home, 3 away against each team meaning 48 games next season?

If so, maybe with less league games, there's a chance to add a new cup competition / extend the play-offs?

9 teams complicates Hoctoberfest if they are planning on doing that again.

Really excited to have a new team in the league. Hopefully we'll have even more teams joining in the future.
 
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Scott

New Member
#40
#40
Good news...

9 is an odd number of teams though. That leads me to believe one more team will be added or one will drop out. Lets hope another joins (wouldn't mind Manchester coming back...).

Looks like a nice arena. 4000 seats would be an ideal number for us actually :p
 
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