LONDON, UK – What I’m about to admit may shock you. You may even be disgusted at me but I can’t live a lie. I’m going to hold my hands up and admit that I didn’t watch a minute of the “Streaming Series” over the weekend.
It’s not that I don’t admire the tenacity and resolve of those involved to put on or play in the games, I just didn’t fancy spending either evening sat at my laptop watching what are essentially exhibition games in empty ice rinks. There I said it.
Swindon take game 1 (Kat Medcroft)
Maybe my passion for the game has dulled? Maybe it was my reservations around the players’ and officials’ safety? Or maybe it’s because I’m tight with cash and wasn’t aware of any media passes. Perhaps a combination of all three. Don’t get me wrong, if the three clubs were in financial hardship and needed a fundraiser I’d be happy to donate and do all I could to support, but as an advertised entertainment option it didn’t ignite my imagination. I play in an empty rink most weeks these days, hockey isn’t hockey without the fans inside.
Fortunately for the organisers, TicketCo TV and clubs involved, just under 3,000 people who tuned in online felt otherwise. Over the two games, involving Swindon Wildcats, MK Lightning and Sheffield Steeldogs plus assorted guests, around 2,800 streams were reportedly sold at £12 a pop. Not bad going at all, and in fact I’d go as far as to say a roaring £30,000+ success; minus VAT obviously.
Sure there were teething issues documented at times across the two games, but the numbers certainly justified the effort.
Also apparent was the sheer enthusiasm from those involved. The players used their social media platforms to maximum effect, the volunteers and officials seemed equally excited to be back involved and all went as smoothly as it probably could.
All three clubs were due to have a de-brief early this week and I’d imagine all of them will be delighted.
Four more games remain in the pilot series with MK v Swindon next up this coming Saturday so it will be interesting to see if the audience numbers can be retained. I suspect they will fall, but it will be the rate they do that will be key.
The question is of course… what next and what is the objective?
Well if no one involved gets Covid and forces a rethink, and if stream numbers do hold up or dip just a little, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see more fixtures added.
Swindon and MK for example would normally pack the festive period with as many games as possible in a regular season, so why wouldn’t they try and carry on the momentum (and income)?
Socially distanced (and focused) officials in Swindon
Players of all teams will be on reduced expenses, the talented volunteers at the clubs will do their best to give viewers the best possible game experience and the hard-core of fans will continue to buy the streams to show their support. The mini hockey show could very feasibly still go on in some form or other, but it will need new participants to keep it fresh.
Other National League clubs like the Raiders and Peterborough have streamed games in the past and could possibly be persuaded to join some cobbled together Cup/tournament, as could clubs lower down the chain if the financials add up and the pandemic disappears quicker than expected – but let’s be honest neither of those things are likely to happen. Hockey is an expensive business – even at the lowest levels and expenses are massive – plus a number of rinks across the land still have their doors closed.
A couple of months ago the EIHA had targeted a January launch of some kind of condensed season in both the National and NIHL leagues but this appeared to be torpedoed by UK government restrictions on spectators at events. With vaccine inspired normality not predicted until the summer of 2021, it’s obvious that a regular season as we know it in the UK won’t be until at least next September.
2020… not a total gong show
It’s fair to say that like many of you I’m keen to see the back of 2020. But despite two major lockdowns and financial uncertainty there was some good news in the media as far as ice rink construction was concerned this week.
Bristol ice rink’s artist impression – possibly Banksy?
First of all in Bristol where the new rink was confirmed as opening in spring 2021. The 1,300 capacity rink will finally allow the city’s nomadic hockey team, the Bristol Pitbulls to return home after many years on the road.
Watching Richie and Mike Hargreaves skate back out on home ice in Pitbulls colours after all the blood, sweat and tears they’ve put in over the years is certainly something I wouldn’t think twice about parting with £12 to watch.
The other good news was the announcement that North East based architects Faulkner Browns had won the planning for an Olympic-size ice rink in East London. The £30m twin Olympic pad facility will be built in the Lee Valley Regional Park. It was approved by Waltham Forest council and will now go to the Greater London Authority for a final decision.
The only thing standing in the way appears to be hedgehogs – and yes you read that right.
Local campaign groups held a ghost hedgehog protest two weeks ago protesting at the loss of habitat for the spiky legends and are hoping to force a rethink on the rink location. For the record I do like hedgehogs so I’m not going to say anything bad about them in this column, nor the local dog walkers.
Long-time readers will remember when my car was broken into at Lee Valley Ice Centre car park and my then team mate Sean Scarbrough’s kit bag was taken from the boot. I lost some quality CDs that night including Ultimate Power Ballads, but local dog walkers retrieved Scarzy’s kit from the bushes the next morning and handed it in to the rink with no items missing. An honest bunch indeed.
So on that positive note, I will end my musings for this week and wish you all the best as we countdown in England to the end of lockdown and ultimately a needle in our arms.
Contact the author: davidcarr_2@hotmail.com
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