What now for the Elite League?

[Reggie Dunlop]

Yes I know we have a multitude of threads on bans and Brads in particular...

But where does the league go now?

A small recap....

Brad Voth commits an offence that the game officials deem to be dealt with on the night. Sheffield appeal and mount a frenzied media campaign. Brad is is given a ban of 6 games per offence and a further 12 games suspended due to his "reputation".

Sheffields media machine go into overdrive - imports appear to have midlands inflections in their press releases

Cardiff devils appeal, Elite league say no way, ban stays

Kozak banned same weekend, Hull appeal, ban stays. next weekend, Bison have players banned, not too serious, but relatively low tariffs by comparison

Sheffields media machine appear to be provided with the outcome of the appeals before anyone else, by at least 24 hours.

Belfast administration and other teams support Elite leagues new zero tolerance regime.

Belfast now have a player Banned, 9 games for a slash to the head. they appeal

Elite league immediately issue a statement advising that their appeals process is flawed and needs reviewed.

in the meantime all existing bans are upheld, even after susbsequent appeals!

Elite league have meeting and instate a "neutral" appeals panel - outcome they seem to think that a slash to the head is worth 4 games, whilst a slash to the back of some shin guards is worth 6 games!

This is hardly a level playing field.



SO WHAT NOW FOR THE LEAGUE?

they have alienated up to 40% of their fanbase

They have created an atmosphere of threatened litigation between the league / owners

they have made their appeals process look illegal and unworkable

They have made it obvious that there is no impartiality between the league and certain clubs / owners

They have undermined the on ice officials

they have allowed the Steeler organisation to bring the game into disrepute by allowing trial by media

they have allowed the Steeler organisation to threaten use of violence through the media before a game.



I have a serious issue with the influence of the owners of the bigger clubs on the leagues administration, in particular the appeals and tariff setting process. It took a player with a "better reputation" at Belfast for the league to begin a review of its appeals process, until then they were quite prepared to stand by their decisions regardless.

Before todays "neutral appeals panel" the leagues own appeals procedure should have been three impartial parties, as written in their rules. They have run their appeals with two people, one of the those from the leagues own administration, therefore breaking their own rules!!!

Also the first of the players to be banned from Cardiff, Hull and Basingstoke had their intial and subsequent appeals heard in private until today, without being represented. I'm sure that a good employment solicitor could find fault with a suspension from a place of work without the employees being present at their own appeals....

I obviously would like to hear everyone elses take on this issue - is it just me that is suspicious?

I'm not looking to create a new thread along the lines of "this bans unfair" or "our ban is worse than your ban" situation or to be Brad specific, I just want to find out how people feel about the Elite league and its administration.

p.s In the interests of debate and openness I would have preferred to have posted this on the Elite Squeeler Leagues Forum, but how long do you think it would have lasted?

 

[davew]

What now for british hockey?

It is perilously close to being a complete laughing stock, with debarcles year on year I fear it will be more and more difficult to attract good quality skilled players to these shores. The reduced wage cap has already seen us being used by less scrupulous players for a holiday and to get match fit for north american leagues (CHL esp) of a similar standard to the joke league we are in.

Until we have an independent, but powerful governing body to replace the ineffective IHUK we have, then our future does not look rosey. We need the body to work with government to make it easier to get up-and-coming players to these shores from some of the junior A leagues/NCAA sides - players who still want to try for the big leagues, are therefore gutsy hard working and able to give a lot to our clubs.

As it stands team GB has no hope of getting higher in the world rankings, we will see further rink closures and less and less tv/radio coverage.

IHUK is likely to be side lined by the NHL and the KHL (continental hockey league) who have both shown an interest in european growth - arguably the side that gets a team in London is likely to be the more dominant.
The IIHF have re invented there champion league and our participation will be to end up failing to qualify at the first pre-qualification round. This is the event which is set to replace the comtinental cup in the next couple of years.....

I think we are at a crossroads, it will all be too easy to take the wrong road.....

just my thoughts....

 

[DevilDom]

In a word - the whole process is a farce as are the leagues administrators.

There is no doubt that there is a complete lack of consistency and a bias towards certain clubs. How to deal with it? I don't know - except for the less favoured clubs taking a stance and threatening to resign from the league. After all its not much of a league with only 4 teams!

 

[nmase20]

to be honest i think now the only way forward for british ice hockey is for a whole new league to be created that is COMPLETELY independent from any club owners. Unless this happens i think ice hockey in britain is going to fade away.

 

[rolf]

Agree totally with you mr nmase. This league has just shown its pants the rest of the ice hockey world and they don't look too clean do they ? I recall when Paul Mac was here (remember the last time bobo was public enema number 1 ???) His vision was to stay with the then findus league and develop that aspect of our league structure. There are some quality organisations out there with good facilities and heritage happily plying their trade in lower leagues. Could we not join forces with them and play at an albeit potentially lower standard but at least in a system with some integrity ? Sure we might not see bloaters like hinks adding another stamp to his passport but good, close, violent (if you like) contests between evenly matched teams would be as entertaining in my opinion. I got excited when this new league was formed as I hoped we could get back to the BISL days but we are a long way off that. I also recall watching 3 import heineken 2 league hockey back in the day when you could spot an import a mile off (MC, Weasel, Moria) and cheer on the youngsters on the 3rd line with a future in the sport. Where would the next Paul Heavey, Moose Cloonan and other such charmers be coming from now ?? We used to have a big enough league to play em all once only and could get relegated or promoted, blimey what a concept !!! Why not let Bob play panthers,giants and blaze 6 times home and away on the same basis as trumpton vs chigley ? He'd love it I expect cos he could design a new crap sublimated special edition auctionable jersey for each visit to marke the difference and line his pockets. The fans would soon get p*ssed with groundhog day and move elsewhere whilst this newly formed virtual league in my imagination would gain strength, develop local talent by allowing them a career path in the sport and who knows, we could even possibly afford far better imports in reduced numbers with less of a wagecap stretch..........oooh pass me my medication and kiss me neck.....

 

[Mooney#16]

I do not believe that ending the Elite league and starting a new league is the answer as unfortunately you would fall into the same scenario as we are in now just put it off another five years.

The Eliteleague however needs comprehensive stripping out of any club director envolvement and being given a fully independent management structure. Problem being it is always the same old faces who want the power in UK hockey and always seem to get it. This was the scenario in the Superleague days where mis management actually made the league steer towards being an un viable business in its own right not just the clubs mis managing themselves bringing it to an end. However i will play Devils advocate here and say in those days the Devils did benefit more than you may believe by having David Temme as head of the Superleague.

To todays Eliteleague and you'll see the influencial team bosses namely that being Eamon Convery and Bob Phillips being able to pull in the odd favour here and there when it suits. I'm afraid i've never been a fan of Convery as he quite blatently has a clash of interests and doesn't seem to hide it very well.

It's for this reason i would like all the club directors roles within eliteleague reduced to that of a consultative committee who can voice there collective opinions to a central independent committee who are responsible for league administration and development. That way hopefully the decisions made by the league will be beneficial to the entire league not just the high budget clubs trying to maintain a break even / profit margin. For this league to be viable and progress then the only really viable option is obsene amounts exposure and sponsorship with a central pot of sponsor money then split between the clubs for revenue assistance. To my mind the league itself does little to progress its commercial image and attract new and especially high profile sponsors. I believe the clubs are to envolved with their own business to then spend time on this and hence my call for an independent league management system.

As for discipline i'm sorry but this should be given over lock stock and barrel to the officials themselves. Personally i'd set up a five man referees committee to build and implement a disciplinary policy and then pass judgement when needed. They may make some howling mistakes in real time on the ice but give most of them a few looks at things and they are capable of making the correct decisions. If they are not handicapped by a ludicrous punisment mandate from guys who have never played and don't understand the game then i believe the officials would surprise quite a few people and come up with some very common sence punishments when needed.

 

[jodysstillagirlsname]

As for discipline i'm sorry but this should be given over lock stock and barrel to the officials themselves. Personally i'd set up a five man referees committee to build and implement a disciplinary policy and then pass judgement when needed. They may make some howling mistakes in real time on the ice but give most of them a few looks at things and they are capable of making the correct decisions. If they are not handicapped by a ludicrous punisment mandate from guys who have never played and don't understand the game then i believe the officials would surprise quite a few people and come up with some very common sence punishments when needed.

Why not have disciplinary board of officials from All leagues chosen randomly. This would give more independence as there is less chance of ties to clubs in their localities or having an official whose wife is a steelers fan making decisions that affect her club. Perhaps we could also expect some honesty where if an official was elected to look at a certain incident he would declare an interest and pass over the opportunity to review

 

[Mooney#16]

It's fair comment but eventually you do have to trust someone to make a decision. The decisions will never please everyone but all anyone is going to ask is it is fair and consistant with an element of transparency so the decisions can be understood if not agreed with.

I would much rather have a five man committee so as to hopefully dilute any influence of bias from say one or two memebers and still get a balanced judgement. In order to deem a ban appropriate at least three would have to believe it neccessary and then the lenght of ban is decided again between the five with an average of all the ban periods chosen then being deemed the actual ban period.

There has to be guidelines but each occurance has to be viewed independently and bans levied appropriate to the actual incident. It seems the trouble always comes when people claim there hands are tied. Personally having been envolved with some minor league referees and knowing how they deal with some incidents i'd hate them to serve on the committee but the elite officials are fairly sound of judgement so i'd rather keep it just to them. It could be stipulated as part of their selection to be an elite league official that they have to serve on the disciplinary committee.

 

[fordy66]

i have restrained myself from posting on this topic because it makes me so angry......i do now think time is up for the elite league and i have told them so via e-mail.....

 

[Nott Simpson]

Disciplinary Committees especially those sitting as an Appeal body should be independent.

The thought of having active referees sitting on appeals is I believe contrary to natural justice, a senior referee or the person in charge of on ice officials should only be present to offer advice on the application of the laws and should not be party to any decision making.

Many years ago I sat on a number of Appeals, but as a Devils official they involved players in lower leagues.

Appeal procedures must be clear and transparent in order for them to be totally accepted by all parties and members of appeal panels must be seen to be totally independent or at the very least the majority of any panel must be so.

I have sat on appeals in many different spheres of my professional life and with nearly 25 years judiciary experience as a Magistrate I feel that there must be persons out there like myself who can assist in this important role in order to safeguard our beloved sport.

OJ

 

[jodysstillagirlsname]

Disciplinary Committees especially those sitting as an Appeal body should be independent.

The thought of having active referees sitting on appeals is I believe contrary to natural justice, a senior referee or the person in charge of on ice officials should only be present to offer advice on the application of the laws and should not be party to any decision making.

Many years ago I sat on a number of Appeals, but as a Devils official they involved players in lower leagues.

Appeal procedures must be clear and transparent in order for them to be totally accepted by all parties and members of appeal panels must be seen to be totally independent or at the very least the majority of any panel must be so.

I have sat on appeals in many different spheres of my professional life and with nearly 25 years judiciary experience as a Magistrate I feel that there must be persons out there like myself who can assist in this important role in order to safeguard our beloved sport.

OJ

I would love to be at the EIHL board meeting where someone put your name forward OJ just to see the owner of FORUM BOB s face

 

[Ugly Betty]

Picture of Simmsy and a disciplinary committee member.

 

[davew]

I was going to start a new topic, but the heading, whilst not aimed directly at this situation fits perfectly.

With Ryan Aldridge's departure have come the rumours of financial stress at Basingstoke. Co-incidentally or not simmsey re-stated his case for an 8 team league, one without Hull and Edinburgh - perhaps the bison too.

I find it very strange that IF tomas enerston's club finances are secure that we have not had a PR from basingstoke seeking to re assure people.

Given all the "problems" do we see the league on the verge of a catastrophic failure? - The arena teams going their way adding perhaps a team in Glasgow to replace the caps, the rest of us slipping into other leagues...would the league officials talk to Guildford (undoubtedly the most stable team in the EPL) about filling the bison's slot?

I sais earlier in the thread that we were at a crossroads.....i never envisaged this scenario developing this early in the season....