The Future

[The One]

As an avid reader of this forum but a first time poster, I figured to throw in my two cents about the future of Professional Inline Hockey.

In order to have a true professional inline hockey league you will need to have a full check league. If you are expecting to get fans in the seats, which ultimately pay the players salaries, then the players are going to have to be able to have contact. A professional league will never survive without contact. RHI had it right when they played at full contact with a fighting penalty equating to a game misconduct. This kept the physical nature of hockey in the game, but also penalized the players and the team if they were going to choose to settle a score or send a message.

Hockey is a cult sport, the fans that you bring to the rink for inline hockey, are going to be the same as ice hockey. Other than family and friends coming to the rink, which aren't going to pay the bills, you need to bring the hockey enthusiasts to the rinks. With this being said, the professional season needs to be held during the summer months. Team Owners must realize that the fans are going to have other things to do on weekends during the summer, but need to promote the heck out of the game and I think they will get a good solid fan base in each city.

A professional inline league needs to also employ a couple of the old RHI and MLRH guys around for suggestions. I think guys that have been through this in the past and been involved with the sport when it was getting 10K fans in attendance at a game. Guys like St. Cyr, Szabo, Laurie, among others would do a great deal for being able to show where things went right and things went wrong.

Ultimately, people come out to the games for entertainment and to spend a Saturday night away from home. The game has to be affordable, exciting, a more of a show than a game. The things that go on during half time or in between periods, needs to have people talking, whether it is the Roller Derby ladies putting on a show, a set of sumo wrestlers going at it for a couple of minutes, or even a dog jumping through hoops of fire while catching Frisbees would be something that the kids are talking about to their friends and convincing their parents to take them to the next game.

Inline hockey will most not be a mainstream sport, until there is someone who comes along and is willing to take a stand both with money and words, that says "Inline Hockey Players are a very small minority, but we need to work together to better this sport. If you buy into to what I am saying, we can make this a fun ride and see if we can get something that our kids will be able to work towards."

The battles between PIHA players and MLRH players/supporters are absolutely worthless, and do nothing but hurt the sport. Charley has done a great job in bringing a great organization into the forefront of many rinks throughout the East and Midwest. Bill has brought a lot as far as a commitment to the sport and doing everything he can to expand the sport. In running into Bill at the MLRH Finals, he introduced me to the group, can't remember the name off the top of my head, that is going to be running MLRH for the future and hopefully they will be able to build off of what Bill created and be able to work with Charley to build this sport up to the point where it was in the late 90's.

[mcchockey9]

You have very valid points. Finally someone who just speaks, and doesn't bash another player or league. Thanks.

[Leaferguy]

Ultimately, people come out to the games for entertainment and to spend a Saturday night away from home. The game has to be affordable, exciting, a more of a show than a game. The things that go on during half time or in between periods, needs to have people talking, whether it is the Roller Derby ladies putting on a show, a set of sumo wrestlers going at it for a couple of minutes, or even a dog jumping through hoops of fire while catching Frisbees would be something that the kids are talking about to their friends and convincing their parents to take them to the next game.
When my dad used to take me to Bulldogs games, I would enjoy seeing the game program, going to the concession stand, and taking part in the small giveaways or whatever they had going on. Part of the draw for me was also seeing the game played in the Spectrum.

I can only speak from one season of experience in PIHA, but I can say that a small media book or program of player info would be a REALLY cool thing to have and sell at cost or maybe a few cents over. For any kids that would want the autograph of a player, it makes it a little easier to get done. Maybe setup an online storefront with Ace to get customizable jerseys made available to the public. Whatever it would be, I completely agree that the experience needs to be what's sold, because a decent amount (most) of the players don't have any local recognition and the game isn't as popular as football or baseball.

One thing I would really like to see are longer games. Obviously, it doesn't have to be NHL length, but maybe 3-12s would be a little better? I'm getting too specific now, but I agree with what you've posted and thank you for putting it up here.

[whjs416]

i just want to say i am not going agenst anyone you all have very key points in my opinion i think cheaking would put more fans in the seats but i think that having a pro league offers a high level of competition witch the players of the piha and mlrh must really appreciate ok maybe some would like to be paid to play but realisticly i dont think that will happen any time soon also i think a program at the games would be something cool to show and make the fans that are there feel like they are at a pro game i personaly would go to a game either way but i am a roller hockey player and i love the game it would be differ for a fan who was just going to watch a inline hockey game i think maybe promotion for games may help bring fans in the seats as well but we have to give props to both the piha and mlrh for what they have accoplished so far and the way that they are growing and going in the right direction

[seanth123]

I was also at the MLRH Finals. Going into the rink and finals, you would believe that it was going to be a blood bath. Well, it wasn't. Both teams played hard, HIT CLEAN, and I think only one player in the entire game got a 5 minute major for fighting. He dropped his gloves, the other player backed out, he sat for 5 with a smile on his face. Their actually was very little checking (only when needed) and the cheap play was non-exsistant. Great game, incrediable show, and the fans loved it! Although both the Crush and Rebals have seasoned competiative ice hockey players on their rosters. The point is, if the players respect one another, and play fair, checking can be accepted in inline hockey. I never played PIHA or MLRH, only played competitive inline at the tournament level because I spent my time on the ice (Jr. B). I have also attended PIHA games this past season. However, I think the issue has got to be the safety factor of the rinks PIHA play in. Their are so many teams, that I think some of the facilitys can not handle full contact. That's no knock on PIHA or their organization, but I am sure that the PIHA upper management has taken this into consideration, and decided that full contact is not in their market favor. Would full contact bring in fans, yes, can it be accomplished in a controlled players enviroment, yes, is it safe at all venues, no......... MLRH and PIHA playing at diffferent time intervals is a great idea! For the fans who enjoy full contact hockey, they have the fall/winter/spring Pro ice games, and PIHA as already setup. In the summer, MLRH ought to put a season of full contact inline out. I know some ex ice guys who play PIHA today that would jump on the possibilities! I even may lace up! (ok, lets be resonable, I know these MLRH and PIHA guys would smoke me without a doubt). Just my 2 cents worth, actually 1 dollars worth!

[1Sick2J]

i just want to say i am not going agenst anyone you all have very key points in my opinion i think cheaking would put more fans in the seats but i think that having a pro league offers a high level of competition witch the players of the piha and mlrh must really appreciate ok maybe some would like to be paid to play but realisticly i dont think that will happen any time soon also i think a program at the games would be something cool to show and make the fans that are there feel like they are at a pro game i personaly would go to a game either way but i am a roller hockey player and i love the game it would be differ for a fan who was just going to watch a inline hockey game i think maybe promotion for games may help bring fans in the seats as well but we have to give props to both the piha and mlrh for what they have accoplished so far and the way that they are growing and going in the right direction

Please learn the use of punctuation. Reading your posts is going to make my head explode.

[InlineMBA]

I, for one, enjoy roller hockey because there isn't any checking. I even enjoying watching two teams that I have no clue who they are, as much as being on the bench for my son's games.

I watched MLRH for one season and because of the checking and fighting, I found it painfull to watch. It seemed like the big men dominated the game. Never mind that most of them had no clue how to check, they seemed to focus on one thing only - hitting, with either their bodies or fists.

Roller hockey is wide open. I watch with keen interest when an NHL game is being played 4 on 4.

I have to disagree with Bret Hull - I don't think allowing more fighting will increase the NHL fan base. Nor do I think it will increase any professional roller hockey league's fan base.

Hey, but what the heck do I know - I've never played the game, which my son reminds me of all the time. SMART A$$

Steve Inge

[rhhof]

Once again I have to agree - but it takes money to do all of this

Most people are spending money now on a Single A brand of Ice hockey, the SPHL, MAHL, NEHL and I feel that Roller hockey would be a better product, but it takes credible arenas that can house more than 1000 fans on both fronts plus the right people and it is a DIFFERENT game!!!

As much as Id like to see fights and hitting - this is NOT Roller Hockey - I always felt if we had a 4 on4 league that allowed fights, it had the possiblilty to sell more, but again it is NOT part of the game

Maybe one day there will be a euphoria (sp?) or a new box that pandora will bestow upon us....until then there is PIHA - the God of leagues, or was that Charley I saw in the light of Marple Sports Arena last week.....

Mr Inge, if you straped the skates on, you'd be better than Mike - well maybe not but better than Denis!!

[minutemen]

This topic again. This has to the most talked about topic on IHC. Hey everyone has there views on checking, PIHA and MLRH are perfect examples of that. The main problem with Checking is the insurance. The cost for a season to insure the whole league is ridiculous. I know that in meetings that Charlie has said that someday PIHA may be checking. That would be when it can afford to. Not saying this will ever happen but it has been discussed.

Hey I have to say I like the no contact and no fighting. It makes it for a faster and better game to watch. You could not pay me to go watch the NHL. I love both ice and roller but NHL is a joke. The fighting is just a waist of time. It is not boxing, and for the most part that is what it has become. Give me a College hockey game any day. Look at the other sports you fight and you are hit with a big suspension. There was another topic on this the other day and someone stated that other sports allow fighting but what differs is the suspension. If there is a suspension for fighting then that Sport does not allow it. The NHL is the only sport that alows it.

Got off the topic just a bit but just wanted to add my two cents. Hockey is a great sport. It is fun to play and watch. If you like checking go play MLRH, if not play PIHA. Either way neither league is making it at the gate. Families have too much other things to come watch these games. But I think they should beacuse it is fun to watch. I do not know what the soluton is to get fans at the games. I have owned the NJ Minutemen for 4 years and I have tried everything. In my area, North Jersey, people have too much on their plates. They love the sport but do not have the time to come. Now in other areas that may not the case. The key is to keep building the league. More teams the better. Once there is a national following and all regions of the USA have a division, then the fans will come. Charlie and other are working very hard on building PIHA. As for MLRH I really do not know never been involved.

Another reason why it is tough to get fans is that the sport was in a decline the past few years. It has gotten better but it seems that it has leveled off at this time. Hopefully the sport will get more popular like it was 4 years ago when rinks had 100 teams. Now most rinks probaly have the average of 45-50 teams. So this does not help the gate. Other sports are getting poular again. Soccer, LAX are increasing in numbers. Once again, I am speaking for my area, but I am sure other parts are having the same results. As a rink owner, I hope the sport goes up again. I want to see all rink and there owners be sucessfull, beacuse it is good for the sport.

[33]

the lunatics had no problem putting fans in the stands without the fighting. it is what you do to put on a show either by your gameday activities, things for kids, or the way you play the game. all of this and acting like professionals on and off the floor will also bring the fans to the games...not fighting and checking. i think it has been proven.

[RustyPipes27]

Not every team has "Laser" Jay Mazer! Heck, I wish my hometown team's players just had nicknames...

[born2runPROgm]

I've been doing a lot of work out west on developing piha. I know that 95% of the rinks out here would not support any league that involves checking or fighting for structural and insurance reasons. Also, most of the players i've spoken to have stated they would not want to play in a checking or fighting league.

just my two cents.

[whjs416]

i agree, i dont think that the piha has to have cheaking and fighting to make it. I think that you are right in saying that most players would rather have it that way as well, not saying anyone is a sissy, there is so many more aspects to the game than just cheaking and fighting that can make for good games to put fans in the stands.

[Wooten #21]

i agree, i dont think that the piha has to have cheaking and fighting to make it. I think that you are right in saying that most players would rather have it that way as well, not saying anyone is a sissy, there is so many more aspects to the game than just cheaking and fighting that can make for good games to put fans in the stands.

I say no to fighting but yes to checking.

[whjs416]

yea that would be nice, but you know if you have checking then there is naturally going to be fighting. Someone will lay a cheep hit and then he'll get up and throw down the gloves.

[Stampede#11]

Inline Hockey is about the skill factor and the reason most of us play inline is to reduce the injury risk (for work) and because the game flows.

Bottom line is that inline hockey needs clever marketing. But the sport at present does not generate enough revenue to warrent the employment of marketing proffessionals (most of which aren't worth what they are paid any way), so catch 22. My post on the other topic was just saying that one of the big draws to hockey is the fights & hits, not having that will then reduce the number of fans who have an interest in inline hockey.

From a marketing perspective, I don't understand why inline leagues run during the ice season? Supply and demand = i.e. "No ice to watch so I'll pop down the inline rink and see what is happening". Links with local ice hockey teams to advertise the start of the inline season at the end of the ice season with a coupon on a flyer for "free entry" to your first game. It is a numbers game, get enough through the doors and "X" amount will like it and pay come to more games. Also as I stated before, get the kids hooked so they piss in the parents ears to take em to the games. Cheap tactics .... but it has worked for Disneyland long enough.

[growl89]

if they run over the summer there are a few reasons why it wouldnt work...

1. too short of a season, there would only be about 2.5-3 months to finish the entire season, that's no where near long enough. Also if the season went into september you would have all the college kids thats play going back to school and that would hurt some teams. The way the season is now allows the college student a chance to play near the school they go to ie. greg thompson and tommy bruce

2. tournament series, over the summer is when you have narch, torhs, and statewars tournaments. most of the players in the league participate in these events, and not just one, sometimes 2 or 3. so top players would be missing all of the time. And given the choice of going to Florida to play narch, or going to philly to play less then an hours worth of hockey, well i think you know what would be chosen.

3. Vacations, a lot of guys in the league are fathers, summer is the time to pack up the van and take the kids on vacations, even though most hockey parents vacations are to Narch, Torhs and Statewars, see above.

Although from a fans point of view the summer may be a better choice, the league needs its top players at the games as much as possible, and i think, for now, playing during the ice season is the only way to make that happen.

THoughts?

[33]

Not every team has "Laser" Jay Mazer! Heck, I wish my hometown team's players just had nicknames...

you have a very good point there.

[Wooten #21]

yea that would be nice, but you know if you have checking then there is naturally going to be fighting. Someone will lay a cheep hit and then he'll get up and throw down the gloves.

That is very true, but what about no fighting and no big hits, just a little bit of chechkin to give the players a little more freedom.

[Dave Garland]

I am also anti-fighting for inline hockey and pretty much everything I agree with has been said. I think the game should be promoted as an entertaining wide-open skill game. There is physical play as there is (even though there is no checking) and I think 'rubbing out' on the boards is fine but as previously said full checking and open rink checking will lead to cheap shots and the need for fighting.

In addition, as Mike Burke said on another thread, many guys in inline hockey do not know how to fight. Unless they played junior ice hockey, NHL, UFC, or pro boxing, very few people know how to properly fight which can lead to injuries, mismatches, insurance problems, or just rolling on the ground.

I like watching fighting in the NHL, trust me. I just out of my seat everytime it happens; however, inline hockey is a different game and I strongly believe it has no place in our game.

As far as the 'season' is concerned, I think it would be cool to start/end a bit earlier for a few reasons (I'm not saying this season because it would hard to pull off on such a tight timeline). I think a season starting in October would be awesome. The reason for this is most rinks have brutal downtime in the fall and winter. Currently, the PIHA season runs December-April with playoffs in May. This year there were some conflicts towards the end of the season as we get into spring (high school hockey, world competitions, etc.). In the fall and winter, the only 'competition' in inline hockey is really college; however, all college games are played on weekends and is easy to schedule around (if needed).

I think a season running from October-Feb and then playoffs in March would be awesome. What do you guys think? Then guys can go right into regional season and then tourney's.

[whjs416]

yea i agree with Dave G, all of the leagues i play in there is no cheaking, but as Dave said , there is always going to be a little bit of rubbing when on the boards witch is fine with me and it keeps the game interesting. But like someone previously stated inline hockey is about skill,and there are so many great players and there is only going to be more in the future.