Last night, I was thinking about when the topic of Hockey in GB not being as popular as other sports including a sport like basketball then I realized the sport was probably promoted a ton because of the summer Olympics being there... yes it took me this long to put the 2 together.
Last night, I was thinking about when the topic of Hockey in GB not being as popular as other sports including a sport like basketball then I realized the sport was probably promoted a ton because of the summer Olympics being there... yes it took me this long to put the 2 together.
Basketball also received a massive boost a few years ago when Denis Rodman signed for an English team after being on Celebrity Big Brother. It also helps that most schools have the facilities to play basketball.
But really I think you might be wrong that basketball is more popular attendance wise, I can't find any figures but I would be very surprised if the BBL gets better attendances than even the EPIHL. A few seasons ago I went for a game in Guildford once and the basketball had literally just finished and there weren't that many people coming out, compared to what it is like on hockey game days. I doubt they have the facilities to get many people in there though, I have seen the court in The Spectrum and they didn't really have proper seats, just the bleachers that you pull out from the wall, and The Spectrum is a first-rate leisure center as well.
The BBL also doesn't get any more TV coverage than the EIHL does.
Edit: I found on wikipedia the capacity of the arenas, the biggest one only holds 3,000 while the rest are all less than 1,500.
Last edited by Imaginary Threats: 07-16-2012 at 06:21 PM.
Basketball also received a massive boost a few years ago when Denis Rodman signed for an English team after being on Celebrity Big Brother. It also helps that most schools have the facilities to play basketball.
But really I think you might be wrong that basketball is more popular attendance wise, I can't find any figures but I would be very surprised if the BBL gets better attendances than even the EPIHL. A few seasons ago I went for a game in Guildford once and the basketball had literally just finished and there weren't that many people coming out, compared to what it is like on hockey game days. I doubt they have the facilities to get many people in there though, I have seen the court in The Spectrum and they didn't really have proper seats, just the bleachers that you pull out from the wall.
I didn't say attendance wise & I didn't even say Basketball was more popular than hockey in any capacity. It's what others said during the hockey in GB debate lol
I didn't say attendance wise & I didn't even say Basketball was more popular than hockey in any capacity. It's what others said during the hockey in GB debate lol
Well they were wrong then, lol. But if basketball keeps going the way it is, it will overtake hockey within the next 5 years easily.
I see Bristol Pit Bulls are listed as having teams in NIHL 1 and 2 for 3012-13.
Has the rink issue been resolved or just put off?
Didn't I read that the rink was sold for housing or something?
I see Bristol Pit Bulls are listed as having teams in NIHL 1 and 2 for 3012-13.
Has the rink issue been resolved or just put off?
Didn't I read that the rink was sold for housing or something?
They have until the fixtures meeting this weekend to decide if they are going to register the teams or not. Right now it is still unclear what is happening, they are trying to keep it open a little longer so they can play the season and have time to find a new home. They are putting up a good fight anyway, they even had a short segment on BBC which also included the figure skater girls looking sad for a sop story.
Don't think I've ever seen NHL merch on sale over here.
Seen a few people at football games with NHL gear though. 1 Islanders jacket, 1 Ducks coat and someone at Basildon supermarket with a Toronto hat.
I always have to double take if I see people wearing NHL gear.
There was a guy looking at the Chicago Blackhawks one, he probably didn't know what it was
I saw someone in college wearing a New Jersey Devils shirt once, the strangest part was I had no idea who he was, and I know pretty much everyone in the hockey community here in Swindon. He certainly wasn't a player or ref anyway, I could tell you that much, and I didn't recognise him from around the rink at EPL games.
And did anyone else notice the Coventry Blaze flag behind the goal at the England game during the penalties at the Euro's?
Basketball is probably helped over here because there are a few good NBA players that play from GB from time to time as well.
Looks like there are some very good imports signing in the EIHL this year, could be a very interesting season if a few teams could still be in contention late in the season.
During Swindon's most recent signing PR , the coach Ryan Aldridge talks about the increasing difficulty of getting imports to sign here. I thought it was interesting, it seems to explain why the lower EIHL teams don't have as good imports disregarding cost and continue to remain at the bottom.
Quote:
Aldridge is also working on a deal to bring in another new import to the club, but admitted it is becoming harder to bring new players to Britain.
“It is tough every year because the exchange rate between the pound and the euro is constantly changing,” he said.
“When I was in the Elite League they were earning a lot more money than they are now because of the strength of the pound, which made it a lot easier to recruit.
It can be tough, there is no doubt, because some countries respect us and some don’t.
The biggest problem for other countries looking at us is how stable the league is.
Our league is pretty stable, but in the Elite League the bottom teams are always at the bottom, and that is not attractive to them.”
Last edited by Imaginary Threats: 07-19-2012 at 10:45 AM.
During Swindon's most recent signing PR , the coach Ryan Aldridge talks about the increasing difficulty of getting imports to sign here. I thought it was interesting, it seems to explain why the lower EIHL teams don't have as good imports disregarding cost and continue to remain at the bottom.
His comments on Brendan Witt were pretty funny, especially considering Witt was probably the best player to play here outside of Theo.
They have until the fixtures meeting this weekend to decide if they are going to register the teams or not. Right now it is still unclear what is happening, they are trying to keep it open a little longer so they can play the season and have time to find a new home. They are putting up a good fight anyway, they even had a short segment on BBC which also included the figure skater girls looking sad for a sop story.
Update: Bristol will be attending the fixtures meeting and are intending to confirm participation in NIHL2 but not NIHL1.
I see I have another local interest to follow EIHL this season.
Former St FX X-Men Captain Will Colbert has signed on with Belfast.
Always good to follow players that you watched live.
A vid of a UdeM/St FX game that didn't include Colbert
Someone on THF posted this extract from Mike Babcock's book, I thought I would share it with HF since I found it a funny and accurate description of British domestic hockey
Quote:
"If I'm really honest about it, I have to thank my Mom for first kicking me into gear. Back in 1987, I was player-coach of a semi-pro team in Whitley Bay, England. I was having a lot of fun and getting pretty good at not taking anything too seriously. In the summer when I got back to Saskatoon, my Mom looked me in the eye and said "You know Michael, at some point your beer-commercial lifestyle is going to have to come to an end"
Cardiff sign former Rangers goon prospect Devin DiDiomete, nice.
I find it weird how the EIHL goes through waves of signing at least one fighter per team then waves of no real out and out guys, seems all you need it one team to sign a couple i.e. Coventry and everyone thinks they need one.
I find it weird how the EIHL goes through waves of signing at least one fighter per team then waves of no real out and out guys, seems all you need it one team to sign a couple i.e. Coventry and everyone thinks they need one.
Brad Voth has retired, DiDiomete will be his replacement, it's not because they are copying Coventry.
