Another Cock Up

[Ceiberman]

I wasn't gonna go anyway, so I've tried to stay out of the conversation here and twitter, but for what it's worth.....

What's disappointed me isn't that the league has tried to milk the fans, because I'm not sure it's that exactly. It's more that they seem kinda tone deaf and haven't given a second thought to the fans.

Like announcing in Feb that the playoff dates have moved. First there's all those that had longstanding hotel bookings and had probably budgeted their weekend suddenly having to find alternative accommodation during the bank holiday weekend with so little lead time that most of the cheap rooms had long gone.

Then theres those that would have had to get time off work and then rearrange it at short notice. In my old job I typically had to sort leave months in advance. Then theres those that had to rearrange child care.

It's all those things that bother me....plus the ticket prices of course.

 

[BostonBart22]

Must be the only sporting event . No kids or concession prices can't get my head around that.. appalling by the lge

 

[Diablo3]

If Cardiff were against the calls, why did they choose to charge fans £5 more for tickets. So upsetting for all the fans. We are desperate to go but just can't justify the £800 it will cost!

Cardiff always charge an extra £5 to pay the staff for handling the ticketing process. Wasn't just this year.

 

[E.D.S.]

Point being...it was optional and they chose to do it in the face of a ridiculous price hike. Disappointing.

 

[august04 2.0]

The EIHL clubs have shot themselves in the foot here, just plain greed. I hope it's poorly attended, perhaps they won’t ever take fans for granted again then - although didn’t they say that when we started back after the pandemic? The league management this year has been farcical, and they need to get their act together next year, big time.

 

[Diablo3]

Point being...it was optional and they chose to do it in the face of a ridiculous price hike. Disappointing.

Agreed given previous years there have been massive queues for them to contend with. Frankly this year they completely ignored all the price rises fans have had to deal with and still thought it was a great idea not to have concessions. Not surprised the arena is half empty

 

[E.D.S.]

Agreed given previous years there have been massive queues for them to contend with. Frankly this year they completely ignored all the price rises fans have had to deal with and still thought it was a great idea not to have concessions. Not surprised the arena is half empty

Even if there’s queues of people, I could just about understand £5 for processing a transaction - whether that’s one weekend ticket or 15 - but £5 per ticket, per day - appalling.

 

[fdlf666]

Even if there’s queues of people, I could just about understand £5 for processing a transaction - whether that’s one weekend ticket or 15 - but £5 per ticket, per day - appalling.

It looks like that the day tickets only include a £2.50 fee, as you will still only pay £115 if you by a Saturday and Sunday ticket.

 

[osh]

Sadly, the sport is going backwards in my opinion. The EIHL are fleecing the fans from every club who support their respective teams irrespective of whether they are Champions or also rans ! they don’t give a damn whether fans travel from the North of Scotland, South Wales or the South of England,
Prices are totally out of context with what goes on on the ice. I used to go to the finals every year - Wembley and Norringham - irrespective of whether my team made the play offs, nowadays, the way the sport is heading I don’t even go to games in Cardiff ( the team I’ve supported through thick and thin for so many years ) unless somebody with the slightest pinch of common sense looks at the overall picture, the sport will continue to diminish in the U.K. Stop ripping fans off would be my message !!

 

[EllieB]

This is today’s arena the coloured seats are NOT sold as yet. And blocks 1 & 2 are not on sale

 

[moggy#9]

The EIHL clubs have shot themselves in the foot here, just plain greed. I hope it's poorly attended, perhaps they won’t ever take fans for granted again then - although didn’t they say that when we started back after the pandemic? The league management this year has been farcical, and they need to get their act together next year, big time.

IMO the league needs a professional to manage it. It needs to be someone independent who has knowledge of professional sport, finance and PR. At times I get the impression that the league doesn't have a clue what it's doing and has no coherent plan for the future.

 

[Wannabe2]

This is today’s arena the coloured seats are NOT sold as yet. And blocks 1 & 2 are not on sale

View attachment 1794

This is what happens when greedy bastards try to take over, they are totally amateurish, don’t have a clue about anything especially our sport. These idiots think they know this, know that, when they actually know shit all, stick with these Dicks and you won’t have a league to worry about. In one way this is the best thing that could have happened, as these Morons need to know they are a bloody disgrace and need to be told to sod off. Thousands of people love this sport, a few are destroying it for gods sake kick these morons to the curb, bloody hell just do it.

 

[fridaysfingers]

This is what happens when greedy bastards try to take over, they are totally amateurish, don’t have a clue about anything especially our sport. These idiots think they know this, know that, when they actually know shit all, stick with these Dicks and you won’t have a league to worry about. In one way this is the best thing that could have happened, as these Morons need to know they are a bloody disgrace and need to be told to sod off. Thousands of people love this sport, a few are destroying it for gods sake kick these morons to the curb, bloody hell just do it.

You’ve really excelled yourself there wannabe, squeezing all those insults in just a couple of paragraphs!!!

I’d like to know who you are exactly talking about though?
Is it our owners?
Happy to be corrected but isn’t the league management/committee made up of all the clubs owners/MD’s etc?
If this is the case then surely they are the people setting the price of the tickets for pofw.

 

[Samael]

This is what happens when greedy bastards try to take over, they are totally amateurish, don’t have a clue about anything especially our sport. These idiots think they know this, know that, when they actually know shit all, stick with these Dicks and you won’t have a league to worry about. In one way this is the best thing that could have happened, as these Morons need to know they are a bloody disgrace and need to be told to sod off. Thousands of people love this sport, a few are destroying it for gods sake kick these morons to the curb, bloody hell just do it.

I'm not sure what makes me cringe more, ridiculous exaggerated posts like the above from a spoilt petulant brat or the sickening arse kissing and sucking up which goes on whenever Steve King posts anything.

Are we going to have 5 or 6 months of bitching and moaning now interwoven with the usual forum toads liking every post by the owners? It's going to be a very long and boring summer then if that is the case.

Some people really do post the most embarrassing crap in the heat of the moment.

 

[matbur]

It's been a real eye opener for me this season seeing how the season has been managed.

From poorly considered roster rules, an alleged salary cap (which to my knowledge isn't documented anywhere), some shady signings which then allegedly circumnavigate these rules and then the play-off ticketing. I find the lack of integrity, transparency and judgement hugely off-putting.

At best it's been embarrassing for the league, and at worst the EIHL's integrity has been completely eroded and the board running it isn't fit for purpose. The league is crying out for governance and leadership that is independent of the clubs.

I get the EIHL is not a multi-million pound sport and they have many challenges, but it does benefit from a hugely committed fanbase that a lot of fringe sports would snap their arm off far.

Personally, I'm willing to give the league the benefit of doubt this season after all the covid disruption, however if it doesn't manage itself better moving forward then I envisage myself losing interest and will stop following it altogether, as much as I love the Devils.

This may go against the view of some more longstanding fans of British hockey, but I'm starting to believe the Devils would benefit more from primarily playing in a more professionally organised and better resourced European super league, like an expanded Champions Hockey League, and playing domestic games in a midweek cup competition and occasional weekends, much like the Challenge Cup is now.

 

[Mazzoak]

In the world outside of hockey, when these kinds of actions take place, either businesses or politics it’s a pretty good indication that things are dire and a threat of survival is a real threat. For me this appears as a do or die option, a hope that if they sell enough they may survive, if not there bust and had no option.

 

[matbur]

In terms of the play-off ticketing, I genuinely think they misjudged the mood of the fanbase and thought they could capitalise on fans coming back to the first play-offs since Covid.

The rest of the stuff is just mismanagement and borderline corrupt IF clubs are setting their own rules around rosters and then allegedly broke them. Sounds very familiar...

 

[moggy#9]

It's been a real eye opener for me this season seeing how the season has been managed.

From poorly considered roster rules, an alleged salary cap (which to my knowledge isn't documented anywhere), some shady signings which then allegedly circumnavigate these rules and then the play-off ticketing. I find the lack of integrity, transparency and judgement hugely off-putting.

At best it's been embarrassing for the league, and at worst the EIHL's integrity has been completely eroded and the board running it isn't fit for purpose. The league is crying out for governance and leadership that is independent of the clubs.

I get the EIHL is not a multi-million pound sport and they have many challenges, but it does benefit from a hugely committed fanbase that a lot of fringe sports would snap their arm off far.

Personally, I'm willing to give the league the benefit of doubt this season after all the covid disruption, however if it doesn't manage itself better moving forward then I envisage myself losing interest and will stop following it altogether, as much as I love the Devils.

This may go against the view of some more longstanding fans of British hockey, but I'm starting to believe the Devils would benefit more from primarily playing in a more professionally organised and better resourced European super league, like an expanded Champions Hockey League, and playing domestic games in a midweek cup competition and occasional weekends, much like the Challenge Cup is now.

I'd love the idea of more European games, but the club would need the capability to draw and accommodate 10k fans and improve their off ice revenue streams for that to work.

 

[Mazzoak]

In terms of the play-off ticketing, I genuinely think they misjudged the mood of the fanbase and thought they could capitalise on fans coming back to the first play-offs since Covid.

The rest of the stuff is just mismanagement and borderline corrupt IF clubs are setting their own rules around rosters and then allegedly broke them. Sounds very familiar...

It’s kinda difficult to criticise multi millionaire business people as incompetent. That’s not to say people don’t mess up their businesses, we don't know the full circumstances, so I’m kinda on the fence, l just don’t know, either way though, it’s not looking good for the league.
The best thing to do is put your £’s into whatever gives you the most, I’m certainly not going to be disappointed missing this year.