UK rinks and arenas

LONDON,U.K-It’s often said that the advent of the Superleague marked the beginning of a divide between the haves and the have nots in British ice hockey. Salary caps and import limits were suddenly a thing of the past as teams were encouraged to think big and transform a minority sport into a showcase spectacular. Teams that couldn’t compete were simply forced into the lower leagues by default. Consequently, these ‘big’ ambitions were matched by larger and grander rinks. The Sheffield Steelers who had, until that point, been the only team to play out of a concert-sized arena were suddenly joined by a number of other clubs with similarly first rate ice facilities. Gone were the days of dark and damp evenings at Hobs’ Moat Road. Ice hockey was now in the business of sports entertainment. But the Superleague dream didn’t last for long and the cost of hiring these rinks, together with the players to play in such facilities, soon took its toll on a number of teams, eventually forcing the Superleague to close at the end of the 2002-3 campaign. In its place came the Elite League which enabled many smaller, former British National League teams to compete with the old Superleague sides following the reintroduction of salary caps and import limits. Yet, in spite of these changes, the fusion of grander arena-based clubs with smaller rink-based teams continued to serve as a reminder of the vast inequalities between UK franchises, guaranteeing that there can and never will be a level playing surface in British ice hockey. In this article, Pro Hockey News’ Matt Kane provides the low-down on the good, bad and downright ugly rinks of the Elite League hockey scene and looks ahead to the possibility of new rinks on the horizon.
Basingstoke Arena (Basingstoke Bison)
Situated on a retail park alongside a bowling alley and restaurant, Basingstoke Bison’s 1,600 capacity home is one of the smallest and most basic facilities in the League, complete with bad ice surface and below zero temperatures. On the plus side, the benches are situated so close to the fans that you can almost touch the players when they’re sat down and, on game night, there is no shortage of atmosphere thanks to the ‘crazy Bison fans’ and their zany announcer. Operated under the Planet Ice franchise (who have recently stepped in to run the Bison), Basingstoke Arena is as close as the Elite League is going to get to an old time hockey barn and, with the Bison’s Elite League future in doubt, fans are advised to take the trip to this relic of UK ice hockey while they still can! Odyssey Arena (Belfast Giants) The Odyssey is one of the newer concert-sized arenas to stage Elite League games and certainly has a lot to offer the modern ice hockey fan. Situated within Belfast’s impressive Titanic Quarter, the 7,000+ capacity Arena boasts some great facilities including a bar reputedly owned by a former Giants’ player! Inside the rink, there are plasma screens which highlight replays and refereeing calls so that even the newest of fans can enjoy the game. The only negative aspect is the seating which feels distanced from the ice, to the detriment of the atmosphere at the game. Fans should also be aware of sitting directly behind the plexi which is scratched to the point of needing replacement. Cardiff Bay Ice Arena (Cardiff Devils) When the Cardiff Devils’ former home, The Wales National Ice Arena, was earmarked for development during the 2005/6 season work began on finding them a new temporary home on Cardiff Bay. The result was something of a Planet Ice monstrosity when it first arrived on the scene back in December 2006. Sightlines were poor, temperatures inside the rink were completely unreasonable, the untreated wooden stands resembled IKEA flat-pack furniture, and the tarpaulin covering at one end of the rink gave the impression of an unfinished ‘tent’ ready to collapse the moment a strong wind blew in. Things have improved slightly since then and, with it being a temporary structure, it’s probably unfair to criticise but Devils fans will be expecting that the new permanent rink more than makes up for the problems they’ve encountered on the Bay. Skydome Arena (Coventry Blaze) Coventry Blaze’s 2,600 capacity Skydome Arena is the half-way house between a large concert-sized arena and a small, old-time hockey rink and just shows what Planet Ice can build on a good day. Although poorly signposted in and around Coventry, once you find the place it has everything you’ll need: easily accessible parking adjacent to the rink; an excellent bar area; and the opportunity to stand in front of the glass and watch the game through clear, untarnished plexi. It is let down by some pretty awful toilet facilities but those shouldn’t detract from what is a fantastic little facility. Murrayfield Ice Rink (Edinburgh Capitals)

Nestled in the shadows of the magnificent Murrayfield Stadium and oddly reminiscent of a 1940s cinema from the outside is the Murrayfield Ice Rink, home to the Edinburgh Capitals. Unfortunately, not only is it like sitting inside a fridge but Murrayfield’s 3,000+ capacity is too large for a team that can only realistically achieve 600 or so in regular season. The amount of empty seating on both sides of the rink during games is, therefore, mildly depressing as well as a reminder of Scottish ice hockey’s place alongside the likes of football and rugby. You can’t even warm your cockles with a fine Scottish whisky since local legislation prohibits the consumption of alcohol inside the rink. There is a bar upstairs but you have to go out of the building and then back in again in order to access it. Hull Arena (Hull Stingrays) Hull Stingrays’ Council-operated ice arena is a compact but smart and modern facility befitting a small club with high ambitions. Together with a pretty decent hockey shop, the Arena boasts an excellent downstairs café and upstairs bar area, both of which have outlooks on to the rink so you can enjoy the game whilst downing a pint or enjoying some pretty tasty, reasonably-priced food. Now all the Stingrays need is some more fans to fill the place. Altrincham Ice Dome (Manchester Phoenix) Essentially a carbon-copy of the Cardiff Bay model but without the tarpaulin at one end, Manchester Phoenix’s temporary home is the most recent Elite League rink to be constructed. In an attempt to address the issue of poor sightlines, a number of plasma screen monitors were installed last season so that fans can now follow the game even when they can’t see it. The screens are also used during period intervals to show highlight reels and video game contests. Not a great rink, but not a bad one either. Whether the screens add anything, or simply distract fans from focussing on the game, is still a matter for debate. Metro Radio Arena (Newcastle Vipers) Situated within walking distance of Newcastle’s rail station and nightlife, the Metro Radio Arena is the smallest of the ‘big four’ behind Sheffield, Belfast and Nottingham with a 5,500 capacity. The Metro certainly has everything you’d expect from a big arena experience, yet its lack of availability for Saturday home games and the drop in attendance figures (down 8.3% between 2006/7 and 2007/8) may force the Vipers to go elsewhere in future seasons. Earlier in the year, it was also rumoured that the Arena could close to make way for new developments including a new arena, convention centre, casino, hotel or offices. Trent FM Arena (Nottingham Panthers) The freshly named Trent FM Arena, formerly National Ice Centre, may insist on being preceded by the word ‘fabulous’ in all of its literature and may also be the Elite League’s choice for the Playoff Finals Weekend but, in truth, it could offer so much more. To its credit, the 6,500 capacity arena has a clean and modern rink facility, three bars, two ice pads, a well-stocked club shop as well as numerous merchandise stands and food stalls. For an extra £10 a game you can even experience the game from one of the executive boxes, complete with waiter service! In spite of all this, the food is still very average fare, there is no on-site parking and the game-night atmosphere is often akin to sitting inside a library with any kind of banter soon stomped on by Arena staff. Equally as bad is the rink’s jukebox selection, most of which hasn’t changed since the place opened at the beginning of the decade. Sheffield Arena (Sheffield Steelers) Sheffield Arena, formerly the Hallam FM Arena, was the first concert-sized arena to stage regular ice hockey games when it opened back in 1991. Although now looking slightly dated, South Yorkshire’s premier ice facility still possesses some great facilities and good on-site parking (there’s a £3 charge on match-days). The main drawbacks are the lack of leg-room in most of the seating areas and the fact that, in spite of the Sheffield Steelers’ relatively healthy attendances, the 9,000+ seat Arena never looks close to full except for games against local rivals, the Nottingham Panthers. With the team constantly being forced to compete with the pop concert industry for hire of the Arena, and often being forced to transfer games to the nearby iceSheffield facility, plans are afoot to move the Steelers to a new 5,000 twin-pad ice hall in Rotherham by 2010. Future Rinks Given the current economic climate, plans for new ice rinks capable of staging top flight ice hockey in the UK are few and far between. The new facility in Rotherham, part of a £350 million leisure and entertainment complex, is one of only three currently on the drawing board. In Leeds, the local Council is reputedly searching for a developer and operator for a new 12,500 seat multi-purpose arena on land next to Leeds United’s Elland Road football ground whilst, in Brighton, a Swiss-based investment company are apparently looking to take forward a new 10,000 seat facility for the south of England. Last year, proposals for a new 12,500 in East Croydon were thrown out by the UK Government on financial grounds, putting the buffers on the quick return of a London-based franchise. Contact the author at Matt.kane@prohockeynews.com