Fantasy Professional Hockey League

[Inline_Burl]

After all the thoughts in the "Inline Hockey's Comeback" I thought I would create this thread with my ideas on a how a true professional hockey league would work.

TICKETS
Single Game ticket prices should be from $8.00 to $15.00 depending on seat location.

OPERATING COSTS
Owners of a professional franchise should be able to spend at least $80,000 on one season.

ARENAS
Arenas capacity should not surpass 6,000 seats

PLAYERS
Attract minor professional players to the game as a training method in the off season. Every team should try and attract hometown talent to keep the community interested.

RULES
Fighting
Fighting should not be totally taking out of the game but not encouraged
Fighting = 1st:5 Minute major, 2nd 5 minute major and a game misconduct, fighting in the last five minute = automatic game misconduct.

Body Contact
Body Contact should be allowed

Overtime
The shootout seems to be very popular.

Game Length
Four 15min. Quarters. 5min. breaks between 1&2 and 3&4 quarter. 15min. break during half time.

Season Length
26 games between 10 teams. Season starts in May ends in August.

TEAMS
Place teams in inline hockey hotbeds:
California
Missouri
Connecticut
New York
Pennsylvania
Florida
Michigan

PLAYOFFS
Top four teams advance. Best three out of five.

TV
Local tv in team cities
B2 Network, online broadcasting

...MORE TO COME

[quick_dry]

I'd do a short sudden death OT before shootout.

Sudden death is so exciting, particularly in inline.

I'd have fighting be an ejection, but like in any league - when refs don't want to rule players out they start giving out roughing or double roughing calls.

[BourneRoller]

I like it a lot. But I do agree with quickdry, maybe 5min sudden death first.

[Inline_Burl]

Now the question is with all these ideas how can we place them into action to get something going.

How many people would be interested?

[J88]

I would suggest using IIHF InLine's rulebook with (4) 12-minute quarters with 1.5-minute minors and 4-minute majors. Games would not take more than 2 hours even with commercial breaks. Although I would eliminate their offsides rule. This has been the professional inline hockey format since the 90's.

[growl89]

I would suggest using IIHF InLine's rulebook with (4) 12-minute quarters with 1.5-minute minors and 4-minute majors. Games would not take more than 2 hours even with commercial breaks. Although I would eliminate their offsides rule. This has been the professional inline hockey format since the 90's.

To do this you would have to create a whole new league, again. The problem is the marketing. We, the sport, need marketing people to sell our sport. Which means we need to make everything better first. Of course there are way better ways of doing things, but if the teams don't make the effort to make game day presentation better, fans come to games, playing in nicer facilities then these are all pipe dreams.

[Fusion9]

Of course there are way better ways of doing things, but if the teams don't make the effort to make game day presentation better, fans come to games, playing in nicer facilities then these are all pipe dreams.


Simply don't leave it up to the teams to run a nice gameday presentation. The league staff could do it if the season were "festival" style as it has been called.

[calihockey]

To do this you would have to create a whole new league, again. The problem is the marketing. We, the sport, need marketing people to sell our sport. Which means we need to make everything better first. Of course there are way better ways of doing things, but if the teams don't make the effort to make game day presentation better, fans come to games, playing in nicer facilities then these are all pipe dreams.


Exactly! It is great to see a lot of people being positive about having a true pro league, but it will take a lot more than bullet points on a message board.

[growl89]

Simply don't leave it up to the teams to run a nice gameday presentation. The league staff could do it if the season were "festival" style as it has been called.

Festival style isn't the answer... With festivals there is only one home team. Leaving the stands empty for non home teams. With the leagues how they are now, festivals would be a much better way to gain exposure. This whole season, home and away I don't think there was even 100 people at a game. This needs to be put on the teams not the league. The league has enough to worry about. Dancers, concessions, giveaways, etc. This is what will get people to games.

Also.... Is there a reason why there is only 5 minutes in between games 1 and 2? Nothing makes for a sloppier game then tired teams. Maybe alternate minor and pro games? Or have a 20 minute break so that some kind of entertainment can be had. Think about it, more rest equals better play, sharper officiating, and ultimately a better marketable product.

[NC Mustangs]

Also.... Is there a reason why there is only 5 minutes in between games 1 and 2? Nothing makes for a sloppier game then tired teams. Maybe alternate minor and pro games? Or have a 20 minute break so that some kind of entertainment can be had. Think about it, more rest equals better play, sharper officiating, and ultimately a better marketable product.

Growl89 from a coaches perspective I agree. I really like the idea of having the minors and elite teams alternate games. It would not only give rest, but it would give teams a chance to regroup systematically too.

[calihockey]

Maybe keep the minors before the pro games to keep the pro games as feature events, but allow for intermissions. The Kings and Ducks some times allow youth teams to play a 10-15min mini game between periods. The teams sell a certain amount of tickets each and they get to play. It works for them to help prop up games against weak opponents, but in our case it might help spike ticket sales in general since we are working on a small scale. Also have contests during the intermissions. If you have a local NHL or minor league team, see if you can get their mascot out for a game or two to work through the crowd or put on some little show.

[quick_dry]

Also.... Is there a reason why there is only 5 minutes in between games 1 and 2?
Is this referring to PIHA, I remember reading they had this weird 2 short games thing, as if you could convince people they got more value than if they went to see a full game.

If you meant the 5 between periods 1 & 2, and 3&4 - IMO 5 minutes between periods is heaps - that is about the length of an ice cut, which plenty of teams make do with in the froze game at higher levels.

[NC Mustangs]

Maybe keep the minors before the pro games to keep the pro games as feature events, but allow for intermissions. The Kings and Ducks some times allow youth teams to play a 10-15min mini game between periods. The teams sell a certain amount of tickets each and they get to play. It works for them to help prop up games against weak opponents, but in our case it might help spike ticket sales in general since we are working on a small scale. Also have contests during the intermissions. If you have a local NHL or minor league team, see if you can get their mascot out for a game or two to work through the crowd or put on some little show.

This is a good point. It would cost more in rink time, but I feel that it would bring value to the fans and create excitment if done right.

[bigjnstl]

It would be great to have a true pro roller hockey league, and I love your ideas, but who has $80,000 to shell out for this, let alone 10 people.

[calihockey]

This is a good point. It would cost more in rink time, but I feel that it would bring value to the fans and create excitment if done right.

True. Some of the teams who play at the smaller rinks might be able to work out a deal with their rink to package deal it all for a lower price. Maybe off to get the team together to repaint the inside. Pay for the paint and volunteer the man hours. It may help increase the appeal of the rink for the owner for his/her customers and gives the team a nice looking rink for the fans. It would really cost just the paint and supplies.

[BourneRoller]

I think a lot of people have 80Gs at their disposal. However, if you're smart enough to get 80Gs you are probably smart enough to know not to drop that money on a product that is not going to provide a positive return. I'm not saying Inline can't be that kind of product, I just think it does not have a great track record. It most certainly has the potential, I would just like a really solid business plan. Inline Burl has the right idea that's for sure. Start with the hotbeds. The problem with that is the travel costs (though now might be good time as air travel is cheaper than ever.)

[SlapShot1988]

Wasn't there someone who brought up a league like this?