Neil Black Panthers Owner hoping for a start

[Wannabe2]

1. 6 Teams 5 English + Cardiff
2. 12 week season beginning end Jan/ Feb
3. 10/12 Imports, and get the Brits back to the UK
4.COVID secure for players, in a bubble in hotel by rink, testing twice a week, with premiership league testing.
5. Panthers playing out of Big Arena.
6. Some sort of play off final with top 4 teams late April / early May.
It’s still all up in the air, as no body knows the future, the Government money is only for English teams, no season no money that’s obvious. Only time will tell.

 

[Wannabe2]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0901472

 

[Ejercito Rojas]

Not for me thanks!
This is all about putting any sort of product on the ice and calling it the EIHL so the 5 English teams can claim the £4m on offer before it’s withdrawn.
The Devils will in all probability get nothing or very little from the WAG leaving us unable to compete so it’ll be a shoot out between Steelers and Panthers using their share of the cash to claim the official but shortened EIHL season Championship and Playoffs to book their places in the CHL and Continental Cup for next season!

 

[kingmo19.1]

10 imports of what quality I wonder !!!!!

 

[pjj365]

As somebody said on Twitter why should Panthers take part when they don't do webcast

 

[Wannabe2]

The 4 million is not purely a grant apparently, and a loan is not a answer for anyone. So if it happens ???, it will probably be a 20 game league season plus cup games, with games being webcast. Myself I would love it, missing the game so much and it would be a big plus against seeing nought. Whether it’s all pie in the sky is another thing, one things for sure Devils wouldn’t be interested unless they were in with a shot of winning it. Our Owners are winners and would not be interested in being also rans, and rightly so. Only time will tell in the meantime, stay safe all.

 

[Wannabe2]

As somebody said on Twitter why should Panthers take part when they don't do webcast

Because of money obviously, if it benefits fine, if it don’t then whatever. The grant whatever is about running a season, not about how it’s accessible.

 

[Devil94]

All matches would be held in one arena surely, with Nottingham being the obvious choice.
If it does happen it cant be called the Elite League and shouldn't effect CHL qualification. Needs a unique one off name as it's a whole new comp.

 

[Ejercito Rojas]

It’s my understanding that the DCMS grant/loan is on the strict proviso that it is used to get the EIHL 20/21 season off the ground. It has to be Elite league in name and standard.
This money is for the English teams only and the money can only be spent on signing players and paying for webcasts of the matches etc.
This puts the Devils at a MASSIVE disadvantage from the off, if indeed there is an off!

 

[pjj365]

Unless the refs can get time off work to bubble or some of the money is used to import full time refs then it won't happen

Guess there are few refs looking for work in N America though

 

[ASHIPP]

It’s my understanding that the DCMS grant/loan is on the strict proviso that it is used to get the EIHL 20/21 season off the ground. It has to be Elite league in name and standard.
This money is for the English teams only and the money can only be spent on signing players and paying for webcasts of the matches etc.
This puts the Devils at a MASSIVE disadvantage from the off, if indeed there is an off!

Would include Belfast and the Scottish teams in the massively disadvantaged group as well. There has to be parity throughout the teams otherwise it surely can't be classed as 'Elite' (British) League?

In football, Cardiff and Swansea are competing in the Championship League with English teams under the FA organisational regulations. Surely something similar applies to other sports in the UK, devolved nations or not?

 

[pjj365]

Would include Belfast and the Scottish teams in the massively disadvantaged group as well. There has to be parity throughout the teams otherwise it surely can't be classed as 'Elite' (British) League?

In football, Cardiff and Swansea are competing in the Championship League with English teams under the FA organisational regulations. Surely something similar applies to other sports in the UK, devolved nations or not?

More comparable is Wrexham FC who are benefiting from DCMS funding of the National Leauge

 

[Earnie]

I am no fan of this plan. A rather desperate attempt at clawing back some government money which may be on offer.
On reflecting further I think it’s crap.

 

[Ejercito Rojas]

Would include Belfast and the Scottish teams in the massively disadvantaged group as well. There has to be parity throughout the teams otherwise it surely can't be classed as 'Elite' (British) League?

In football, Cardiff and Swansea are competing in the Championship League with English teams under the FA organisational regulations. Surely something similar applies to other sports in the UK, devolved nations or not?

Scottish teams have gone on record to say they will definitely not be playing this season .
As for Belfast they have extra logistical and much higher travel costs so I really can’t see them taking place in a competition stacked heavily in favour of the ‘England5’!

Drakeford again recently reiterated that he can’t see any return for indoor sports anytime soon.
Read into that what you will.

 

[mjh]

Can't see any hockey in Cardiff with spectators for quite some time yet. I'd imagine next summer might be more feasible.

 

[Ejercito Rojas]

Absolutely agree about spectators not being allowed into the rink before September at the earliest or until the population is vaccinated.

However, the EIHL plan seems to be, playing behind closed doors initially with a view to getting a reduced number of fans into the arenas as the English tier system allows.

Neil Black has gone on record this week to say this and he hopes to get around 1000 fans into Panthers games.
Before the DCMS funding was announced he was 100% against playing this season, he was even 100% against Panthers signing any players, he was even eluding to the opinion that other EIHL teams that were signing players weren’t being fair to those players and for all intents and purposes holding them hostage to their contracts.
Now he smells the money he seems to be all over this like a cheap suit!

As I said before, I am more than happy to sit this out til next autumn as we have vaccines being delivered out from as soon as next week and I definitely wouldn’t set foot into a cold environment unventilated ice rink until vaccinated, even if legislation allowed it.

 

[Wannabe2]

Okay I watched two webcast games with Swindon/ Sheffield/ and MK along with 3,000 others and really enjoyed them. So I would certainly prefer to watch 6 Elite teams on webcasts than have nothing, there’s nothing wrong with Black and Co trying to get this going what’s the problem, limited hockey or none, watching your team or not, I know what I would prefer. 10/12 imports of tidy skill, plus good brits, 20 games what’s not to like about that. Also Cardiff want this, and they wouldn’t get involved with a Mickey Mouse scheme, if this would be good enough for Todd and Co, it sure would be a goer with me. Don’t see the arguments against it myself, plus if Blaze, Storm, Flames can make a few Bob, good on them. Great shame the others can’t but it is what it is.

 

[BostonBart22]

Would be amazed if it goes ahead especially 4 week lockdown in most parts after xmas

 

[Kevlar68]

If these English counties are going in to this tiered lockdown how are football teams still traveling to play? Rugby teams still travelling to play? So ice hockey teams should be able to travel to play.

 

[Devil94]

Unless the refs can get time off work to bubble or some of the money is used to import full time refs then it won't happen

Guess there are few refs looking for work in N America though

Good point. Also relevant to the Brits who would supposedly 'make up the numbers'. They would all have jobs outside of hockey, how many of them would be able to leave work and go in to a bubble for 3 months?