Ice hockey: Capitals' life in the Elite is back in doubt

Published on Tuesday 31 March 2009 09:44

ICE HOCKEY'S Elite League is at the crossroads following confirmation that Basingstoke Bison are jumping ship.

The English team, who finished bottom of the ten-strong league table this season, have applied to play in the English Premier League next season.

That will help them renew local rivalries with Bracknell Bees, Guildford Flames and Slough Jets. However, it plunges the Elite League into crisis.

Sources indicate that no team has applied to replace Bison. But the league can't run with nine teams as that would mean one team sitting out each weekend.

Hull and Edinburgh, who finshed ninth and eighth respectively, both have low attendances but the Humberside team benefit from travelling supporters because of their geographical position. Edinburgh must rely mostly on home fans.

Doug Christiansen, Capitals' director of hockey, recently explained the problems faced by the club and how close the team came to collapsing this season.

The players chose to fight on despite the perilous situation and fans came forward to raise funds, sell tickets and run events to keep the team alive.

In fact, they deserve a medal for doing anything they could to help Capitals get back on a financial track.

One fan last week even forked out so that the team could travel down to Sheffield the day before the play-off quarter-final, first-leg, and rest overnight in a hotel to give them a better chance of success. Sadly, they lost 8-2.

Christiansen wrote in Sunday's programme: "For the past two seasons I have called Edinburgh home. The economy and league uncertainty has left many lives uncertain, including my own.

"If tonight is the last time I play hockey at the Murrayfield I want you to know that I am proud to have worn the Capital uniform.

"I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished and I think we have taken a step forward as a club.

"You do not always make friends in this job and sometimes you have to make tough decisions.

"However, at the end of the day if you make the decision to make the team better it is always the correct one, even if it makes you the villain.

"When I took this job I was told anything but the wooden spoon was a good season.

"We did not get the wooden spoon instead we got back-to-back play-off appearances and the best record in franchise history. The job is far from being done and I hope to be the one to finish it but that is something that I cannot control."

If Capitals owner Scott Neil decides to soldier on then will it again be the fans who put their hands in their pockets, despite the credit crunch, to keep the team in the Elite League?

Or will Neil decide to retrench to a new league. A meeting did take place in Edinburgh recently, minus Capitals, to discuss a new regional-style league. It was cold shouldered by a statement from Elite League bosses but discussions are on-going.

Planet Ice, the owners of Bison, could point the way forward for Edinburgh by opting out of the big league. John Neville, director of group operations for Planet Ice, said: "We would like to thank the loyal fans for their continued support during what has been a very difficult period for the organisation and hope that they understand the decision we have had to make.

"It is no secret that, for the last couple of seasons, the Bison have struggled to compete on a level playing field within the Elite League and have lost substantial amounts of money."

Eamon Convery, chairman of the Elite League, commented: "Basingstoke Bison were one of the founding teams of the Elite League.

"They worked tirelessly over the years to turn around the performance of the team both on and off the ice.

"Progress was made, however, it is also accepted that their future lies outside membership of the Elite Ice Hockey League.

"We wish them every success in competing with their local rivals in the EPL and thank their fans for their faithful support of the Herd."

It would be a shame if Capitals did abandon the Elite League as Sunday's play-off, second-leg with Sheffield was a superb advert for the sport.

However, so was Sunday afternoon's Celtic Cup Final at Kirkcaldy which Fife Flyers won 3-2 in sudden-death overtime over arch rivals Dundee CCS Stars before a crowd of around 1000 to take their fourth title of the season and stay on course for the domestic Grand Slam.