Great Britain: Hockey in Britain part 3

[Shrimper]

How would you go about contacting a local council suggesting that an arena be built (Or rink) in your area? Feel like proposing the idea to Southend council. Probably be worthless but worth a try.

 

[Siamese Dream]

How would you go about contacting a local council suggesting that an arena be built (Or rink) in your area? Feel like proposing the idea to Southend council. Probably be worthless but worth a try.

You could try to get a petition going on facebook, twitter or another form of social media. There are also petition websites out there. I was recently followed on twitter by a petition account to get an ice rink in Ipswich and they have a facebook page too.

If you get enough support you will be able to go to the council with a proposal. I hate to say it but you could probably contact Planet Ice and they might be interested, they could then do the hard work for you, but you're much better off with a council-run rink.

 

[Shrimper]

Think that's a good way of starting it. Right now though I think the council is looking at retail and housing, so if there's a way of getting that in the proposed plans it could be more appealing to the council.

 

[ficohok*]

I order Tony Hand's book few days ago. Anybody read it ? Is it worth 18 euros ?

 

[Siamese Dream]

I order Tony Hand's book few days ago. Anybody read it ? Is it worth 18 euros ?

I have read it, it's worth every penny/cent but I think I paid a little less than that, I just looked on Amazon now and it's £12.

 

[Siamese Dream]

French coach discusses possible KHL expansion in Western Europe and Tony Hand welcomes the idea of a KHL franchise in Great Britain

http://en.khl.ru/news/2013/02/10/25044.html

 

[J17 Vs Proclamation]

KHL idea is laughable, especially from the Russian perspective. Some of the location rumours perpetuated in the media are lunacy. Common sense doesn't crawl on the floor leaving a blood trail behind it, nevermind walk, in society it seems.

 

[ficohok*]

I have read it, it's worth every penny/cent but I think I paid a little less than that, I just looked on Amazon now and it's £12.

I bought it at bookdepository, and yes, it is not 18 euros, but 16,68. Nice to hear it that book is good, can't wait for it to come

 

[Siamese Dream]

KHL idea is laughable, especially from the Russian perspective. Some of the location rumours perpetuated in the media are lunacy. Common sense doesn't crawl on the floor leaving a blood trail behind it, nevermind walk, in society it seems.

Not really, it would depend where you put the team. The Panthers and Steelers already get better attendances than some of the teams currently in the KHL, with the extra funding from the league it would be very viable. But ticket prices would have to be set at the right amount.

However you are partially right, to realise Medvedev's crazy expansion plans the KHL needs to become self-sufficient in the near future, they can't survive off Gasprom and government subsidies forever

 

[J17 Vs Proclamation]

Not really, it would depend where you put the team. The Panthers and Steelers already get better attendances than some of the teams currently in the KHL, with the extra funding from the league it would be very viable. But ticket prices would have to be set at the right amount.

However you are partially right, to realise Medvedev's crazy expansion plans the KHL needs to become self-sufficient in the near future, they can't survive off Gasprom and government subsidies forever

Market pennetration would be minimal. Say Nottingham moved to the KHL, well few fans outside that area are going to start following them/KHL. Media attention and TV time won't increase drastically. Guess what? Majority of people, like it or not, won't want to watch a team based in a Russian league, with no British players, in a market they don't live in. If i'm not a hockey fan, a British based KHL team isn't going to make me one.

The capital investment would be significant. Russian money, basically. You need much higher quality players, none which will be domestic by and large. Travel costs along with salary costs will be expensive. I am unaware of the size of our rinks, but 9k+ with high quality facilities are a fundamental requirement.

This project isn't self sufficient. It relies heavily on outside investment, investment which has little potential for immediate return.

You are correct in the sense that yes, the KHL structure will eventually need to change. Not for the expansionist reasons (The expanionist dreams entirely rely on this available cash flow) however. The KHL is directly related to the strength of the Russian economy and government spending policies. A crash in the Russian economy (Which will happen, given the nature of the economic system we reside under) would have a dramatic impact. For the next 10+ years, i don't see this money going anyway, but eventually it will need to reshape itself into a financially viable league. For that to happen, it needs to be gate driven ; stronger consumption spending in the country. A larger TV contract and much more significant pennetration in it's domestic markets (Moscow for example).

These romantic expansion ideas are nonsense. A KHL team in GB or France offers no financial prosperity in the future. GB as a market won't latch onto the KHL in any significant way. As a GB hockey fan, i guess it's novel and interesting if they do invest in a team here, however it's entirely perplexing from a Russian standpoint and has limited potential on our end too.

 

[Siamese Dream]

I think you would find if you talked to EIHL fans or read what they say on social media and forums, like I do, that a vast majority don't care about the nationality of the players or what country the league belongs to. They just want to see the best possible on-ice product and get the best value for their ticket price.

Panthers and Steelers fans are by far the biggest culprits of this attitude.

 

[J17 Vs Proclamation]

I think you would find if you talked to EIHL fans or read what they say on social media and forums, like I do, that a vast majority don't care about the nationality of the players or what country the league belongs to. They just want to see the best possible on-ice product and get the best value for their ticket price.

Panthers and Steelers fans are by far the biggest culprits of this attitude.

Sure, and that is logical, but selling it as a product to a wider audience not ingrained in the sport doesn't become an easier.

One market in the north (Or anywhere, really) cannot really advertise itself for the entire country, nor will it propel the KHL to a large UK audience. Even if it did, selling the idea of Riga vs Traktor isn't happening.

 

[Siamese Dream]

Sure, and that is logical, but selling it as a product to a wider audience not ingrained in the sport doesn't become an easier.

One market in the north (Or anywhere, really) cannot really advertise itself for the entire country, nor will it propel the KHL to a large UK audience. Even if it did, selling the idea of Riga vs Traktor isn't happening.

Oh I agree completely. If growth of the sport is your aim, then a team based in London is the key. But in terms of financial feasability and guaranteed fan support, Nottingham is your location. I don't think Medvedev really cares about growing the sport in other countries, he just wants his pan-European super league to challenge the NHL.

A British team in the KHL is a pipe dream right now, but if we can sort out our own league first then there's no reason why it can't happen in the future.

 

[Call me Suds]

I'm not reading all the posts above because I just wrote a 10 page paper and figure I should just keep typing.

I think there'd be nothing but positives that would come from a KHL team in GB. Sure there wouldn't be any GB players on the team, maybe Robert Dowd could play a 4th line role or Ben O'Connor could play a 7th D-man role lol but no stars. But the KHL is loaded with very wealthy ownership groups. If they took a team there they would be able to draw in talent that is unseen in the EIHL (baring NHL lockouts). Can you imagine a player of Alex Radulovs quality playing in GB on a regular basis? How can you go wrong?

KHL doesn't give a shirt about money. Hopefully they do expand!

 

[Call me Suds]

http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/l...n-light-for-ice-rink-at-tvr-factory-1-5401813

^ I Ctrl+F'd the word hockey and found it nowhere lol

also it's in the section titled "Music & Dance"

 

[Siamese Dream]

http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/l...n-light-for-ice-rink-at-tvr-factory-1-5401813

^ I Ctrl+F'd the word hockey and found it nowhere lol

also it's in the section titled "Music & Dance"

From one of the planning documents (can't post link it won't work)

"A key aspect of the proposed business is its use by ice hockey teams (which has been agreed subject to planning consent). As such the rink ice is much larger than those currently provided in the Blackpool area. The ice rink will not operate in the same manner as say the Pleasure Beach Ice Arena which has a small surface area and caters for a much different market (walk in free staking, classes and evening shows) to the proposed business."

 

[Shrimper]

Out interest how much do players get paid on average at each level?

 

[Siamese Dream]

Out interest how much do players get paid on average at each level?

On average I think in the EIHL it's around £500 per week, obviously top players get more and backup goalies get next to nothing.

Top EPL imports are on a few hundred quid per week, and again there are some kids playing for nothing.

 

[AlanHUK]

I think you would find if you talked to EIHL fans or read what they say on social media and forums, like I do, that a vast majority don't care about the nationality of the players or what country the league belongs to. They just want to see the best possible on-ice product and get the best value for their ticket price.

Panthers and Steelers fans are by far the biggest culprits of this attitude.

I want a harsher import limit, I'd much prefer to have more Brits playing because casual fans(kids) would then start to think they could do it to as opposed to seeing it as a foreigners game played in England.

 

[ChaiTiefling]

Total pipe dream, and neither feasible or sustainable, but a KHL team, preferably playing out of the Manchester Arena but I'd be happy with anywhere, would both wet my understains and get me watching hockey again.

 

[Siamese Dream]

I want a harsher import limit, I'd much prefer to have more Brits playing because casual fans(kids) would then start to think they could do it to as opposed to seeing it as a foreigners game played in England.

If they don't put imports back to 10 for next season, the EIHL will prove how much of a farce it really is

I think a gradual reduction in imports is the best thing to do, in an ideal world I'd like to see a limit of 7 or 8, but introducing that straight away would likely turn away fans. As the Brits get better, reduce the imports, and fans won't notice a change in standard

 

[Alpine]

Found this vid of the recently opened rink in Widness.
Looks like your typical community rink. Cinder block and all.Ahh the one window canteen. Hope they have greasy fries ans watery hot chocolate then you know you're in a hockey rink

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s91Qk7XXAis

 

[Siamese Dream]

Looks decent but no hope of any form of semi-pro hockey there by the looks of it, hopefully they'll be able to put out some junior teams soon and maybe an NIHL2 team, which also gives the kids coming through the Manchester junior setup somewhere to go if they're not good enough to play for Trafford.

 

[Alpine]

Looks decent but no hope of any form of semi-pro hockey there by the looks of it, hopefully they'll be able to put out some junior teams soon and maybe an NIHL2 team, which also gives the kids coming through the Manchester junior setup somewhere to go if they're not good enough to play for Trafford.

Hey I don't care and I'm not even Brit but just get the pads down. Give kids ice time. Maybe even some non coached time. Throw the sticks at centre ice pick teams, let them learn to dangle, spin-a-rama, toe drag. flash the glove all for fun instead of the pressure of winning.
Slovenia has under 1000 players and 7 indoor rinks but yet made the Olympics. Do you think natural ice and kids just gaining confidence buy playing shiny has anything to do with it?
Yes coaching is important but give the kids some time to fck around and be individuals (they'll police themselves) and you can't do that if there's no ice time.
Did Jonathan Drouin learn this from a coach or from fcking around with his buddies all day?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0hEkLDIJ8Y

 

[Siamese Dream]

Hey I don't care and I'm not even Brit but just get the pads down. Give kids ice time. Maybe even some non coached time. Throw the sticks at centre ice pick teams, let them learn to dangle, spin-a-rama, toe drag. flash the glove all for fun instead of the pressure of winning.
Slovenia has under 1000 players and 7 indoor rinks but yet made the Olympics. Do you think natural ice and kids just gaining confidence buy playing shiny has anything to do with it?
Yes coaching is important but give the kids some time to fck around and be individuals (they'll police themselves) and you can't do that if there's no ice time.
Did Jonathan Drouin learn this from a coach or from fcking around with his buddies all day?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0hEkLDIJ8Y

You're dreaming, they'll just give that ice time to the figure skaters. The only ice available for pickup hockey is after midnight. It's probably illegal to let them on the ice without a coach anyway.
Slovenia is a nation of sportsmen, they have a massive winter sports culture and are actually given funding. We are a nation of couch potatoes, nearly all our Olympic medals came from events where the athlete is sitting down.