SPHL/FPHL 2020-21 Season Plans

GindyDraws

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Mar 13, 2014
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Didn't know if we even had a thread for this besides that one where everyone talked about the Family Arena, but the SPHL today released their season plans and who is playing.



For those who can't see, Birmingham, Huntsville, Knoxville, Maxon, and Pensacola will begin play on December 26th.

I don't know what the FPHL season will look like, but based on the SPHL, it's certain that Columbus and Carolina (Winston-Salem) will have similar freedoms.
 
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Atlantian

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Dec 13, 2017
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based on the SPHL, it's certain that Columbus and Carolina (Winston-Salem) will have similar freedoms.
I can see Columbus playing but because Fayetteville couldn’t make it work I don’t see Carolina playing. That leaves Columbus with an even greater travel barrier, provided the league even plays. The Illinois SPHL teams are dormant so that doesn’t fair to well for the dashers.
 

GindyDraws

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I can see Columbus playing but because Fayetteville couldn’t make it work I don’t see Carolina playing. That leaves Columbus with an even greater travel barrier, provided the league even plays. The Illinois SPHL teams are dormant so that doesn’t fair to well for the dashers.

I keep forgetting Fayetteville is in North Carolina, and not Arkansas. I used to do that all the time back in the CHL days when the Ice played in that league, and the Force and Ice only played against each other for two seasons.

So, as a result, Columbus is in a tight spot. They're in a state that is the most relaxed towards restrictions (as in, no restrictions whatsoever), but won't have an opponent for hundreds of miles. I assume both Michigan teams are probable given recent events that I won't go into, and maybe Mentor and Delaware can play due to having such small arenas not mattering much with attendance anyway, but if Watertown and Elmira can't play, that puts the league in a tight spot.
 

JMCx4

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... I assume both Michigan teams are probable given recent events that I won't go into, and maybe Mentor and Delaware can play due to having such small arenas not mattering much with attendance anyway, but if Watertown and Elmira can't play, that puts the league in a tight spot.
No tighter than they've been in many times before over their 10-season rollercoaster ride. The only difference this year is that they have a ready-made excuse to run off the rails.
 

Jackets Woodchuck

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Dec 27, 2010
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Mentor is selling tickets for their tryout scrimmage on Saturday.

Limited to 122 tickets. Extremely draconian restrictions (gates open 15 minutes before faceoff, go IMMEDIATELY to seat, no concessions, cannot leave seat [likely an exception to use restroom]).
 
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JMCx4

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Mentor is selling tickets for their tryout scrimmage on Saturday.

Limited to 122 tickets. Extremely draconian restrictions (gates open 15 minutes before faceoff, go IMMEDIATELY to seat, no concessions, cannot leave seat [likely an exception to use restroom]).
They may have to schedule bio-breaks by section of seating. Arena Announcer: "Puck out of play. Section 12, Potty Time!" :blush:
 

Atlantian

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Dec 13, 2017
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The SPHL schedule is out I believe for all 5 playing teams.

One thing interesting I saw, and I believe it was Huntsville doing this, is they are selling groups of seats by "pods". Each pod can consist of 1-6 seats based on section and must be sold as full pods. I can see this becoming the standard for the FPHL, SPHL, NWHL, and the ECHL as they try to resume play with fans.
 

JMCx4

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The SPHL schedule is out I believe for all 5 playing teams.
All five remaining teams have released their home schedules, and most at this writing have published their full schedules. Doesn't take much cipherin' to get to the full League schedule from there, but home schedules were critical to getting ticket sales & sponsorships revitalized.

One thing interesting I saw, and I believe it was Huntsville doing this, is they are selling groups of seats by "pods". Each pod can consist of 1-6 seats based on section and must be sold as full pods. I can see this becoming the standard for the FPHL, SPHL, NWHL, and the ECHL as they try to resume play with fans.
It was indeed Hu'ville who established a "pod seating" scheme, after deciding to forgo sales of season tickets for the 2020-21 season. "In order to encourage social distancing, seating in the VBC Propst Arena will be sold in ‘Pods.’ Each Pod will include various numbers of seats ranging from a single seat to pods with up to 6 seats. When purchasing tickets in a Pod, the ticket buyer will be required to purchase ALL seats in that Pod. For example, a Pod of four seats can only be sold as four seats. A ticket buyer will not be able to purchase only 2 of the 4 seats in that Pod." This is not a unique idea for a U.S. sports team. The State of Minnesota health dept. among other state governments has included such recreational sports spectator seating clusters in their COVID-19 control plans. At least two NFL teams (Dallas & Houston) have also introduced the seating assignment scheme. Necessity is the Mother of Prevention. :badidea:
 
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alko

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It was indeed Hu'ville who established a "pod seating" scheme, after deciding to forgo sales of season tickets for the 2020-21 season. "In order to encourage social distancing, seating in the VBC Propst Arena will be sold in ‘Pods.’ Each Pod will include various numbers of seats ranging from a single seat to pods with up to 6 seats. When purchasing tickets in a Pod, the ticket buyer will be required to purchase ALL seats in that Pod. For example, a Pod of four seats can only be sold as four seats. A ticket buyer will not be able to purchase only 2 of the 4 seats in that Pod." This is not a unique idea for a U.S. sports team. The State of Minnesota health dept. among other state governments has included such recreational sports spectator seating clusters in their in the COVID-19 control plans. At least two NFL teams (Dallas & Houston) have also introduced the seating assignment scheme. Necessity is the Mother of Prevention. :badidea:

How are those Pods located? I mean, when you pay for 6-seats, you expect some comfort and good position...
 

JMCx4

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How are those Pods located? I mean, when you pay for 6-seats, you expect some comfort and good position...
Specific arrangements of the "pods" within the Huntsville Havoc arena have not been made public. But with the traditional season ticket seating packages being unavailable, I would imagine the seating assignments being issued either on the basis of longevity (fans with more consecutive years of season ticket purchases getting first choices of pod locations within the arena). The team may also rely on a first come-first served scheme to assign pods (earlier ticket purchases get a wider choice of pod locations). But however they manage it, "some comfort and good position" may have to be sacrificed by ticket purchasers for the sake of social distancing & their desire to watch hockey in person again. These are among the least of life's inconveniences at this point.
 

JMCx4

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... This return to play plan does not seem super thought out to me but I hope they can make it work. ...
You're talking about a league whose "continue to play plan" has rarely been super thought out, and yet they've played for 10 straight years so far. :popcorn:
 
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Michael Smitley

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JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
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Sadly, Mentor will be permanently ceasing operations. I don’t see the season happening. ...
The FPHL still has seven teams standing, which is the average number of teams they've iced over their 10 seasons. They've played with as few as 4 teams (2013-14). Don't give up on them just yet.
 
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Fingers and Toews

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Sep 21, 2020
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Am I the only person that thinks that the FPHL and the SPHL are going to combine in the next 5 years or are there others who think that's going to happen?
 

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