What’s your take on this

#21
Angus - you make a good point about the standard of player but that has increased dramatically, year on year, for a while now. If that keeps going, then maybe we end up with an excellent league somewhere in the not too distant future. We're catching up with European teams in terms of quality and look at the atmospheres generated in their barns. Aiming for that can't be a bad thing can it, even if it is slightly manufactured at the moment? I think we're in a transition period.

Having said that, I do miss the likes of Vother smashing players all over the small ice. Even those days had boring games each season though.
 

Gisland

Active Member
#22
"the atmosphere was always generated by the game itself (I'm not saying there weren't rubbish atmospheres too), , we have to manufacture this "fake" atmosphere to give games a bit of life

This sums up the EIHL.....Also the reason why after 20 years, next year will be the first I won't be renewing 2 x season tickets. The whole nature of the game and game night is so far away from that first game I watched. Wish I could replace apathy with enthusiasm.
 

kingmo19.1

Well-Known Member
#23
Angus - you make a good point about the standard of player but that has increased dramatically, year on year, for a while now. If that keeps going, then maybe we end up with an excellent league somewhere in the not too distant future. We're catching up with European teams in terms of quality and look at the atmospheres generated in their barns. Aiming for that can't be a bad thing can it, even if it is slightly manufactured at the moment? I think we're in a transition period.

Having said that, I do miss the likes of Vother smashing players all over the small ice. Even those days had boring games each season though.
I doubt we’ll see the standard rise much further than it is at present without losing a few teams from the EIHL due to lack of finances to compete. Next season also sees a reduction in the import level which is good to see.
 

Mazzoak

Well-Known Member
#24
I don't know how on the one hand one can accept it's a business and then on the other hand state the target demographic is wrong.
Most teams (outside Scotland?) are seeing growing gates showing the target demographic is right from the owners perspective.
Yes, the game has/is changing but this is a global thing. Maybe being a small leauge the way change is managed is different to some of the larger leagues but the gates suggest the sport is going in the right direction from a business perspective.
Those who want a different type of game to the current one need to accept this (and yes this may be reluctantly). The increasing spectator numbers suggest though that this is being accepted and, I would guess, there are plenty of people replacing those who no longer go to hockey because of the changes
Children tend to loose interest, parents start questioning the costs, long standing season ticket holders start dropping off in favour of cherry picking games. There’s only so many girl guides willing to pay up for tickets once the freebies and offers end.
Global change has nothing to do with the U.K., we don’t have AHL influence, we not associated with the NHL overseas. Yes we’re governed by the IIHF, their rules can be worked with.
I‘ve no access to the financial aspects of U.K. clubs, maybe you could provide some evidence as to what each clubs profit and loss & balance sheets look like along with some evidence that increased spectator numbers has brought financial growth to clubs, as there not directly linked.
 
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pjj365

Well-Known Member
#25
Children tend to loose interest, parents start questioning the costs, long standing season ticket holders start dropping off in favour of cherry picking games. There’s only so many girl guides willing to pay up for tickets once the freebies and offers end.
Global change has nothing to do with the U.K., we don’t have AHL influence, we not associated with the NHL overseas. Yes we’re governed by the IIHF, their rules can be worked with.
I‘ve no access to the financial aspects of U.K. clubs, maybe you could provide some evidence as to what each clubs profit and loss & balance sheets look like along with some evidence that increased spectator numbers has brought financial growth to clubs, as there not directly linked.
Fair comment about the drop off.
I fully accept the lack of direct influence of AHL and non association with the NHL. That's pretty irrelevant though when cultural forces come into play.
I have no more insight than you into the finances and I accept the numbers are not directly linked to income. I would suggest though that, as businesses, the club's would not repeat activities that do not, at least, lead to financial stability
 
#28
Wanabee your saying what a lot of fans of a certain age are thinking, me included. I'm getting fed up with this non physical almost non checking style of hockey. I've spoke to two fans today who are seriously thinking of not renewing their season tickets, as the hockey has gone sterile and boring, it's a shame when long standing fans can't take any more of this brand of hockey. As a team we don't seem to stand up for one another or deal with incidents there and then. If I said our most physical player five years ago would be a Finn, I'd have been ridiculed it's something the club hasn't dealt with since fereyna left. I love what block 13 are trying to do, generating atmosphere, last night came across as manufactured for the first two periods, as the team gave nothing to cheer about, it felt like canned laughter in a sitcom. When batch and jones went to have a fight all the fans got excited only to be immediately disappointed when the officials jumped in totally ruining a bit of excitement, why did they feel they had to interfere in a tilt between two men who wanted to sort thing out the proper way, it's not like it was a bullying incident where one didn't want to fight. We can all see for our own eyes the game is changing for the worse to accommodate the snowflakes, newbies just went to win weather the game has any entertainment value, if only they'd seen voth, Campbell or the likes of McIntyre. I appreciate the club are trying to accommodate youngsters and younger fans, but I'd like them to remember us older fans who've kept this club alive for over 30 years. Winning trophies is great but entertaining should go hand in hand. To Finnish off we lost to Sheffield a few weeks ago, I'm old school so they're the team I really dislike, no fighting plenty of checking both teams left everything on the ice, after losing I went home entertained, couldn't ask any more of the players and what an atmosphere in the building, we don't have a right to beat any team but we do have a right as paying customers to be entertained on a more regular basis.
 
#29
I've posted a longer reasoning in the Flyers game thread Travis Bickle but I think opposition teams approach to our games makes it extremely difficult on the whole to play physical hockey (not even getting into the refereeing in the EIHL). When you are playing with the puck 60-70% of the game and the opposition is looking to break into our zone through the centre of the ice as opposed to along the boards it makes it nigh on impossible to play a consistent hitting style. With all due respect very few EIHl players are good enough to land a fair and clean open ice hit! I doubt very much the club have deliberately enforced a sterile style of hockey to encourage new fans at the expense of older fans and I'd imagine Lord is as frustrated as anyone else! I do agree about the Sheffield game though was a cracker.... interestingly Sheffield didn't come to play a "road game" or trap hockey (although with their defensive frailties not sure would be a great idea in any case).
 
#31
I used to love it when the London racers were in town always a physical game the last game I was at when there were a number of fights including cugnet what a game well worth the money .
 
#32
Myself I think this season has been one of the least entertaining seasons for awhile, there’s no characters at all in the league the Faryna,s, Fitzgerald’s, Keefe,s etc, etc, no longer exist, they are now like Dinosaurs. We all accept fighting is not the be all of the game, but how crummy watching hockey players turning the other cheek, and four Neanderthals trying to destroy the game, and trying to make it their show. The game has good speed, good skill, but if you dare to look at a opponent with a glare your binned. I love this sport with a passion, and have done since 1986, but it’s getting sour, and fairly boring at times, and I hate saying that and am certainly not trying to start a negative theme, but I think it’s very true that a huge part of the entertainment on game night is slowly slipping away. This isn’t a knock to our team, it’s a general consensus about this league, over to you.
Agree with you wannabe hope the club bring in a big enforcer next season .
 

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #34
Personnally I ain’t bothered about a big enforcer, a few Faryna,s who care,can play, and who give a shit about the shirt and their fellow players will do me just fine. A Justin Faryna, A Derek Campbell ( the real one ), A Ian Macintyre, a few players with a set of balls would be just dandy.
 
#35
Personnally I ain’t bothered about a big enforcer, a few Faryna,s who care,can play, and who give a shit about the shirt and their fellow players will do me just fine. A Justin Faryna, A Derek Campbell ( the real one ), A Ian Macintyre, a few players with a set of balls would be just dandy.
But how many times in preseason interviews the players say they will stand up for their fellow players and in the season they don't this season and last has been disappointing,the fans want to see physical hockey aswell as skill
 

Mazzoak

Well-Known Member
#36
Although Russia isn’t known for its fights, there are a few “entertaining“ nut jobs around, maybe the budget could stretch too Damir Ryspayev from the VHL.
 

The_Puck

Active Member
#37
If we start retaliating to everything, then we’re gonna lose more games than we win. A good example would be last night, when Livingston hit one of our players off the puck which the ref called and we were going on the PP whilst losing 1-0. If you guys want us to retaliate to that, then I honest give up. Why do something about that and lose our chance with the extra man. The game has changed. Yes Brad Voth would’ve probably thrown him to the ground and done something, and we all would’ve been on our feet loving it. However, with the refs being as they are this season. He would’ve been thrown out and we’d have to kill a long penalty. Voth couldn’t play in this league nowadays because of how less physical it is and he wouldn’t have been allowed to play to way we are used to under Lord. Do I think there’s not enough physicality? Yes. However I think Lord and the owners would much rather win trophies than win fights, which I prefer more as well.
 

jenks33

Well-Known Member
#38
If we start retaliating to everything, then we’re gonna lose more games than we win. A good example would be last night, when Livingston hit one of our players off the puck which the ref called and we were going on the PP whilst losing 1-0. If you guys want us to retaliate to that, then I honest give up. Why do something about that and lose our chance with the extra man. The game has changed. Yes Brad Voth would’ve probably thrown him to the ground and done something, and we all would’ve been on our feet loving it. However, with the refs being as they are this season. He would’ve been thrown out and we’d have to kill a long penalty. Voth couldn’t play in this league nowadays because of how less physical it is and he wouldn’t have been allowed to play to way we are used to under Lord. Do I think there’s not enough physicality? Yes. However I think Lord and the owners would much rather win trophies than win fights, which I prefer more as well.
I tend to agree. It’s sad to say it but you just can’t get away with anything on the ice these days. I mentioned on here yesterday that the NHL tend to let a lot go but the officials call everything in the EIHL. I’d love to see us be more physical but I think we’d be shorthanded all night. Let’s be honest are any teams in our league particularly physical? My frustration is we just haven’t been a good team to watch this season. I can live without fights and faryna type players if we’re an exciting team. The injuries obviously haven’t helped but how many of our players are probably happy with their season so far? Haddad, Pope maybe Dixon? A couple of the brits? That’s about it though in my opinion.
 

kingmo19.1

Well-Known Member
#39
This season, It’s a bit like watching 1-0 to the Arsenal in the old days! Effective but oh so boring!

Yes, they won a title under George Graham but nobody talks about them - everyone talks about the invincible under Wenger! Why? They also won the title - but did it playing exciting entertaining football that made the paying fans happy.

Yes, ice hockey in the UK is a results business, but it’s also meant to be entertaining! There are many other things a fan can spend his hard earned cash on if the entertainment isn’t there.

Just saying like, incase Mr Kelman is reading!

What’s more, there is nothing to say that the newbie crèche kids won’t get bored with the sterile bland hockey at some point! Then you’d have lost your long time supporters plus the newer breed!

If the club is reading ... Please can you put out a more entertaining product next year! Just something I hope the club can genuinely think about. Evidenced throughout the forum, there are many fans bored to death at the moment.

If the club are reading, I hope they will provide a genuine response and not a sarcastic put down.
 
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Gospel

Active Member
#40
Retaliation to an incident doesnt have to be a fight, it can be a big hit against the boards at some point. But we dont often see that either.

Its been mentioned before that this team will be bigger stronger more physical than last years and at the start of the season there were legal hits going in, checks finished off etc. For the most part of the season though there hasnt been.

We know that most leagues want fighting banned/stopped/prevented but finishing checks hasnt been banned, hits along the boards havent been banned. If you think about the situation logically the league have decided to try to stop fighting so that feeds down to the teams so the coaches must have to tell the players also right? So coaches are telling players not to fight, not to retaliate or lay 50/50 hits or maybe even saying we play a no hitting style of game. Its a chain of events. Other leagues dont have much fighting (Germany for instance) yet there games are fast, they hit (and the refs let it go) and the games are entertaining. Here this season things seem to have come to a halt.

I dont think The officiating is keeping up with the game level here either & calls are made then not made for the same type of offence in the same game. You can look at who is going to ref a game and know exactly whats going to happen before a puck has been dropped. That shouldnt be the case. The officials need better training.

The thing that gets to me is at the start of the season we saw what this team can do and then after the CHL we just havent got back to level at all.

Im bored with the hockey as most. I know a few long term ST holders who didnt renew for this current season because they were bored last season and from speaking to them this season they miss the people at the games but not the games themselves. If your going to be shelling out hundreds of £££££ for entertainment then you would probably want to be entertained!

My opinion is that if the newer fans are attending Devils to get into hockey and havent seen the recent NHL or any of the past EIHL games will they become disenchanted when they do see those games and then realise the games they watch in the UK are boring non contact? If they do will they stay or just give up? There will always be those hardcore supporters that watch come what may but will the average joe still attend? Im thinking not.
 
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