But, moving the conversation on - that would lend itself to professional British refs.
We are not looking at a silver bullet here, but a change and a statement of what is required. Start paying the refs, and bring in overseas refs to help improve the quality - but on sabbatical/short term basis.
Does the IIHF not have a program to improve the standard? An exchange program?
Also - why does the Elite League have no sponsor? Or any obvious revenue streams? Perhaps they need to learn to market themselves a bit, and get a bit of cash from other sources.
Finally, to bring in the Hicks as a lino point. If the situation had occurred as Saturday, I firmly believe that a better ref would not have allowed the situation to deteriorate. I have no major problem with the call on Finnerty, the lino called it, Hicks supported it and off we go. The problem was the ref lost control of himself at that point seemingly. It was a giant "giggle loop" - the crowd feeding Hicks, and the players, and the that feeding back into the crowd. So, Hicks the lino would have had 2 minutes in the sportlight, and the moment would have past as a decenet ref restores order on the game.
25p a ticket sounds like a small price to pay - and if the league could get some decent commercial sponsors to start off the initiative, then it is a real goer.
We are not looking at a silver bullet here, but a change and a statement of what is required. Start paying the refs, and bring in overseas refs to help improve the quality - but on sabbatical/short term basis.
Does the IIHF not have a program to improve the standard? An exchange program?
Also - why does the Elite League have no sponsor? Or any obvious revenue streams? Perhaps they need to learn to market themselves a bit, and get a bit of cash from other sources.
Finally, to bring in the Hicks as a lino point. If the situation had occurred as Saturday, I firmly believe that a better ref would not have allowed the situation to deteriorate. I have no major problem with the call on Finnerty, the lino called it, Hicks supported it and off we go. The problem was the ref lost control of himself at that point seemingly. It was a giant "giggle loop" - the crowd feeding Hicks, and the players, and the that feeding back into the crowd. So, Hicks the lino would have had 2 minutes in the sportlight, and the moment would have past as a decenet ref restores order on the game.
25p a ticket sounds like a small price to pay - and if the league could get some decent commercial sponsors to start off the initiative, then it is a real goer.
