The future of the Elite League and its teams

BostonBart22

Well-Known Member
Sky sports reporting that the premier league football clubs are preparing to play all of 20/21 behind closed doors, not good for us (devils) If true
If thats the case so be it , as long as they dont take piss out of the NHS and the people that have died and end up playing this season out...would the players miss playing the end of this season...NO...would they miss the money NO ...It cant and must not go ahead , the govt should see to that...
 

Kevin roog

Well-Known Member
it’s not the fa, it’s the premier league, when you are in hock to sky and Bt for £750 million you will do anything, the next big cheque off sky is due July , can’t see them getting that
 

kingmo19.1

Well-Known Member
I’m sure the FA will have a say in some way or form - with all the professional teams being members of their association.

It’s all looking a bit manufactured at the moment with teams seemingly agreeing to it if no relegation is undertaken this season.

Interesting to see Augero saying he doesn’t feel safe playing! I wonder if he’d have the same opinion if he was a Liverpool player :)
 
Let’s be honest here, without a vaccine the EIHL 2020/21 season will not take place in ANY form.
Putting aside the huge problem of social distancing inside the arena, even with a reduced capacity of say 700 the communal areas will be closed off and how will they manage the queues for the toilets whilst observing SD protocol with everyone trying to pay a visit during the period break?
How do you satisfy the fire evacuation regulations whilst maintaining social distancing ?

So some may say let’s play games behind closed doors and show them on webcasts.
Well firstly the financial numbers don’t stack up.
Secondly, sport needs spectators to grow and survive.
But all of the above pails into insignificance when you consider the health and wellbeing of the players.
Let’s just imagine that the Devils can train and live in some form of isolation, what happens on match night
when 30 or so other players and officials enter the rink?
How can you possibly play a fast hard physical contact sport without exposing players to the risk of infection?
There will be sweat and bodily fluids on the plexiglass after every check in the corners and players blowing hard with the physical exertion!

The first case of a covid19 infecting a player and the league shuts down.
But the nightmare scenario would be a fatality due to infection which would be tragic beyond words, but also the teams and league as a whole would be open to charges of Corporate Manslaughter!
Even if the govt lift all restrictions, who amongst us would take a chance and risk infecting loved ones to watch a game of hockey?

Without a vaccine of proven efficacy and availability there is no future for the 20/21 season, none whatsoever!

This is obviously my opinion but it’s a lot more realistic than one or two who have posted on here.

As a footnote I have renewed my season ticket for next season, whenever that maybe but I did so in the hope of a vaccine becoming available!
 

Earnie

Well-Known Member
Unless there are some astonishing breakthroughs on the medical front I think Rojas above is closer to the mark than some . However there are about four months, maybe five , to go. I don’t see football doing any better either.
 

august04

Well-Known Member
Let’s be honest here, without a vaccine the EIHL 2020/21 season will not take place in ANY form.
Putting aside the huge problem of social distancing inside the arena, even with a reduced capacity of say 700 the communal areas will be closed off and how will they manage the queues for the toilets whilst observing SD protocol with everyone trying to pay a visit during the period break?
How do you satisfy the fire evacuation regulations whilst maintaining social distancing ?

So some may say let’s play games behind closed doors and show them on webcasts.
Well firstly the financial numbers don’t stack up.
Secondly, sport needs spectators to grow and survive.
But all of the above pails into insignificance when you consider the health and wellbeing of the players.
Let’s just imagine that the Devils can train and live in some form of isolation, what happens on match night
when 30 or so other players and officials enter the rink?
How can you possibly play a fast hard physical contact sport without exposing players to the risk of infection?
There will be sweat and bodily fluids on the plexiglass after every check in the corners and players blowing hard with the physical exertion!

The first case of a covid19 infecting a player and the league shuts down.
But the nightmare scenario would be a fatality due to infection which would be tragic beyond words, but also the teams and league as a whole would be open to charges of Corporate Manslaughter!
Even if the govt lift all restrictions, who amongst us would take a chance and risk infecting loved ones to watch a game of hockey?

Without a vaccine of proven efficacy and availability there is no future for the 20/21 season, none whatsoever!

This is obviously my opinion but it’s a lot more realistic than one or two who have posted on here.

As a footnote I have renewed my season ticket for next season, whenever that maybe but I did so in the hope of a vaccine becoming available!
It’s difficult to argue against any of this. Playing behind closed doors is not an option for a minority sport like hockey, the numbers just don’t make it viable. The only real hope for next season is a vaccine/effective treatment - but a vaccine available in enough numbers for the U.K. population, seems unlikely by September. I very much hope I’m wrong but I don’t think we’ll be watching EIHL hockey next year.
 
The only guarantee for the future of professional ice hockey in the UK is securing funding.
I really hope that the EIHL has made, or is planning to make representations to the
Dept of Culture Media and Sport for a Coronavirus funding package to ensure the post
Covid19 future of the league and its clubs.

Both, major sports leagues (football, rugby and cricket ) and minority sports (basketball, weightlifting etc)
have made representations and in some cases like Rugby League have already secured govt
emergency funding (£16m) to safeguard the future of their league.

These are unprecedented times and only govt funding will ultimately save our sport, but it’s not a inexhaustible money tree and there’ll come a time when the govt will be unable to fund every cause.
These things have a habit of being “first come, first served “, I hope that Ice Hockey isn’t at the back of the
queue when the funding inevitably dries up!
 

matbur

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #131
Agree with everything you have said and share your sentiment that there is no chance of the new season being contested.

I think the best thing for the EIHL is to take their focus away from trying overcome these possible impossible hurdles in staging hockey this season and concentrate solely on sustainability and damage limitation.

I have renewed my season tickets in support of the team, as they can only plan ahead until told otherwise, but this is a huge test for UK ice hockey.
 

Kevlar68

Well-Known Member
I think that if season 2020/21 doesn't go ahead the bigger problem is a whole seasons revenue is gone, season tickets, seat sales, 50/50, SOHB, sponsorship deals, shop sales etc etc.

You need year on year revenue to grow, as soon as you lose that its almost like starting from Day 1 as the revenue that has been made in previous seasons will be depleting just to keep on top of everything. Suppliers will still need paying as these are hardly ever paid up front. rates will still need to be paid, players contracts will be paid, staff will need paying, utility bills, so outgoings will still have to get paid even with no season happening.

Then the problem will be season tickets paid for for season 2020/21 will then have to roll over to 2021/22 like the tickets bought for seats this season are now rolled over to next season so another loss already before next season starts.

The same as us, we work, we save, we can't work, we use our savings but that doesn't last forever and we start making cutbacks to save money, businesses will have to work the same way.

Its just a whole massive headache nightmare of a situation but lets hope we can get some sort of season going so this great club can keep up the high standard we've been privileged to have.
 

matbur

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #133
Yes, this is what I mean by 'damage limitation'. Can the league and its teams collectively absorb these costs and survive for a year and then come back a year down the line?

Obviously without a roster, their costs will be reduced but I think we need to be fearful of the impact this can have. A lot of people don't seem to grasp this and are just expecting the team to announce some new players soon and for the season to start a month or so later.

If we're completely wrong on all this, I'll be delighted but I'm pretty worried that we're not going to be too far wide of the mark.
 

kingmo19.1

Well-Known Member
As it currently stands, my prediction for things to proceed would be something like 5 or 6 imports per team and the rest being brits with every game being played behind closed doors and streamed.

Can’t see how any team would generate the required revenue to do anything in addition. Let’s not forget, for the league to continue in its current format then the rules need to apply for all teams - who knows, Sheffield, Nottingham, Belfast and Cardiff may be able to afford more imports, but I can’t see Storm, Stars, Fife etc generating the same revenue. It’ll need to be an equal playing field for all teams to compete in an equal league!
 

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
Myself I reckon if we all don’t start with the full import limit, then we won’t start at all, as for streaming the revenue from that is minimal especially if the standard is far lower.I think If we are not back to as normal as possible come maybe early Nov, then it’s good bye Vienna till the season after. To pay the ITC cards. The airfares, the housing, the wages, the equipment, the ice time, insurance, travel, for 18 maybe players even though only 6 may be imports most of the above outlays will relate to them all, and to only have a income of streaming would be suicidal to every club in our league, never mind the smaller clubs, advertising and sponsorship would be next to nothing as no one would see it. For me it’s more or less all or nothing unfortunately, stay safe all.
 

pjj365

Well-Known Member
Even if we go ahead as currently planned finances may be hit due to ability of sponsors to continue at current levels

Whatever happens surely there will be change
 

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
Ticket sales have been very very good, and are very close to where we were at last year at this point. Great response by the best fans in the league. Well played everyone of you, the club are well pleased. Stay Safe.
 
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