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Date: May 09, 2008 at 17:38:21
From: NeilG, [80.238.8.128]
Subject: Re: Chelmsford withdraw from the EPL


An interesting and well written piece by Chelmsford.

Ice Hockey in the UK has lived in the shadows for far to long and teams and the larger organisations which run the sport have buried their heads in the sand for far to long.

What has been done by the sport to increase its public standing in the last few years.. very little.

Very little central thought has been given to the strategic future of the sport in the UK. An example is that of some junior teams cutting players on mass to concentrate on forming 'winning teams' as opposed to growing the future players and supporters of the sport as well as providing an environment where the costs become reasonable (£700.00 per year + to have a junior involved without kit and travel - tell me how this can provide an open, attractive and inclusive base into which the future participants and supporters of the sport may enter) what happened to sport for all ? (not a stab at individual clubs they have to pay the bills).

Junior Hockey also needs to recognise that not everyone needs to or indeed wants to play in the NHL, EIHL, EPL or even ENL and sometimes just having kids on the ice knocking a puck around is enough to get them involved (hooked) and reduce the overheads. (To clarify that point the Jets programme is inclusive and has also done alot to promote the sport in local schools - what has the EIHA done to support such work and ensure that this strategy type is used across the sport (a question not a critisim ?

We as a sport have also failed to successfully lobby govt for financial support and recognition (as well as facilities) to allow the sport to become more accessible to the base that it requires to continue at anything approaching its current level.

The sports bodies have done very little to attract business support to the game, look at the external business (financial) support the Jets have ... (Zoran, an individual) the teams have for to long relied upon the support of individuals and good will rather than the formation of coherent business plans providing sufficient funding for the teams, this clearly is unsustainable.

It is an interesting anomaly that Rec Hockey and ENL is actually on the increase so in regard to participation the sport is on the up or is this in fact a fall back position based upon a failure of the more professional end of the sport, this again links to the financials as these teams self fund (in the main) relying on very little external support to keep going and yet rec hockey is consigned to the midnight hours ? (that’s why I look so old ??!!) One rink owner is considering putting Rec hockey on in weekend afternnon slots as the income to cover the ice is guarenteed and they beleive families will then attend (?) may be better than opening a rink for 10 members of the public ?? (anyone who attented the old Sunday night sessions will know what I mean :-)

The numbers of visitors to games is down (Hockey Annual survey) thus revenues and returns is down QED investing in a hockey team its not an investment its paying into a hobby that is unable to provide a return or a tax dodge :-) .

I don’t believe supports are down due to the game itself but in the main due to the environment in which we expect supporters to sit (not a dig at Slough but in general) and the amount we charge them to sit in a wet cold and during the breaks boring environment. We also have to look at what we actually show them, is the game enough or should it be the experience that they come for ? For an interesting comment on this see 'Tough Guys' about low level Minor League Hockey in the South of the USA where they state Hockey needs selling to succeed in area's that are not historically Hockey savvy. Do we need or indeed should we learn lessons from these experiences and seek to model on what works ?

So what do we do, if we do nothing I would suggest hockey as we know it currently could be gone within 10 years. Or do we do something ?

Everyone will hate this comment but: Professional sport has very little to do with sport and a whole lot to do with business because thats what it is, the major failure of British Hockey is that this has not, in the main been recognised.

In summary we ( I feel) have govening bodies that dont act stategically, teams that dont act together in unison and on occation wont work with those bodies, we even have palyers who turn down the opportunity to play for their country (not a critisism of palyers as I dont know why).

Now if that doesn’t stir up debate nothing will :-)

Neil G
Moderated By: mdenholm@sloughjets.co.uk


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