NEW elite league in 2004

[missionhockey21]

Last day of school this year some girl asked me what I'll be doing this summer and I told her playing inline hockey. And then she ask; Like on the beach with the neat ramps behind the goalie? I didnt even feel like explaining it that no one plays hockey like that ;-) lol

[yokes]

Marple gives them out to there house league winners.

Its just not fun unless you stand in front of it!

[-venom-]

Didnt Detroit have an NARHL merger-franchise? With like an 'elite' Michigan league?

Thought that all fell apart...

[MDE3]

Have long fantasized about seeing an Inline Hockey Training Facility added to the old "Gray Rocks Resort" (just before Mt. Tremblant coming up from Montreal. Always loved that area. If the sport becomes popular up there - you have a great concentration of talent to pick from - assuming the ice players take it seriously.

[MDE3]

Although for practical reasons it may be too late to look at a merger for this season, but stranger things have been done in MLRH - maybe room for discussion. Maybe look at an Eastern Canada division - Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kingston, Cornwall, Kitchener/London maybe even Trois Rivieres? Keep the rules the same and add some more depth of talent through trades etc. - over time.

[wrlpres]

MDE3,

Mt. Tremblant is a beautiful area and would be a fantastic place to have a team but as in my other post, Roller Hockey has never developed in Quebec.

Regards,
Marc Lefebvre
President, World Roller League

[Superstar9]

What are they bobbleheads of? hockey obviously. but who?

[MDE3]

They just need to get Les Belles Femmes to show an interest in the sport......

Actually I was never suggesting the area for a team to play out of there, but as a great place to hold a training camp.

[Superstar9]

yeah I totally understand where you are coming from about new areas w/ no elite play.. believe me.. the SW of the states needs it bad as well, its not developed 1/10 of what the east coast is. I was just saying that the MLRH teams/ areas would be a quick, solid START to the league because its already done and most people arent happy w/ the current league. It'd be a good foundation, thats all, I totally agree w/ new markets.. I would be willing to help w/ the south and SW and Im sure I know a few other people that would as well .. DannyG? what ya think? I think this league will do well and can help grow pro players for IHA and speed hockey..

[missionhockey21]

Thats a good point, there is a lot of ice talent up in Canada.

[wrlpres]

Speedster,

thanks for the offer to help with teams in the southwest states. This is what I am talking about. Hitting up new uncovered hot spots.I feel if we can create 3-4 conferences with regional play, we will be able to have a League championship tournament at the end to determine the league champion. Also, I have had talks with Inline Hockey America and we are talking about merging into one governing body.

Regards,
Marc Lefebvre
President, World Roller League

[WMBG_GM]

While I certainly do not speak for the MLRH, if I were given a vote today to do any kind of merger with any other league out there, I'd say no. Today. Down the road, maybe. But not today.

I say that because if last year taught me anything about expansion it is this: If your ducks are not in a row, and you add more ducks, you simply get more duck poop in more places. It is time for us to get our ducks to walk in the same general direction right now

Ben Loyall
GM/Owner
Williamsburg Warriors, MLRH AAA

[MDE3]

I hear what you are saying - but duck poop from another flock is still duck poop.

By trying to coordinate regions with distinct regional management under one roof(ie the current projected management of these new leagues)it may in fact be a more manageable situation than having it all go through the past "eye of the needle" as has happened with MLRH.

Setting up a more diverse, but coordinated management with new people - would strengthen - not weaken the effort. This assumes all partners can come to a basic "rules of the game"/"stadium venue"/"marketing and development" agreement prior to any contractual commitments.

For example - I know that Charlie Yoder is willing to talk - and even discuss rules compromises - if it will better the marketability of the game.

A general meeting of the minds is definitely in order. A broad national development movement would be much more powerfull than the splintered and competing efforts we will soon see. I can see much energy being spent in the next few years discussing the merits of one league versus another, one set of rules versus another - player bases, geographical rights, compensation issues, advertizing, and if one of these leagues offers a more attractive package for the players - what will that do to the development of these other leagues and their talent base?

These issues will come to the forefront sooner than you can imagine if these other leagues get up and running - as it appears they will. Not to discourage them from evolving but to encourage their growth and development - it's very important to have an achievable goal and tangible participation by the new league management. The sport as a whole needs an NGB !!!!! Maybe start with the elite level - and work backwards through the whole sport.

Creating multiple splinter groups at the "league" level will result in the same situation as now occurs at the tournament level.

By trying to coordinate a single elite/pro league system which can have regional autonomy except for rules, stadium and compensation issues, the overall marketing costs will be reduced. Promotion of the league on a national basis will be supported by a much broader earnings base - and therefor cost less for the individual organizations. In addition the public focus will not be confused by all these different leagues. There will be one version of the game, not four or five. There will be a league indentity and a "product" identity - which you will fail to have with all these other "National Championships" being pronounced.

Roller hockey needs a clear cut identity to be marketed to the public - not some watered down, confused, multi faceted picture which no one can take seriously.

Right now, whether pro, amateur, elite, youth or which ever venue we look at - there is nothing but confusion to those who do not know all the "ins and outs" of this sport, it's history and politic - and even if you think you do, it is still a confusing mess. The LAST thing this sport needs is a more splintered picture - read marketing 101!!!!!

I would beseach all of you who are trying in good faith to have roller hockey developed to a higher level in your regions - to get together NOW with all the others who basically want the same thing. Just like the game itself - the team concept is much stronger than the sum of the individual talents. Maybe because the game of roller hockey has in some ways promoted the development of individual play more than team work - at least until later on in the process - we are seeing a similar phenomenon happening in the development of the sport itself - a whole lot of "players" who think they can do it all by themselves!!!!!

[Rebecca]

<font color=blue>MDE3: FABULOUS post.

as far as NGB though (a subject I am all up in), by the nature of business, I don't see it happening. Well, I do in the future when the 2 large names come together if that ever happens (USAHIL and AAU-USARS) or one just grows large enough somehow and fulfills all the needs of all those playing. NARCh is great and fills the void for competitive hockey, specifically for adults but by doing so, they retain their own seperate status and I don't see it being NGB. Also, the actual term NGB is a real legal definition that is really diluted with the constant use of it. NGB can only be declared under the olympic committee empowered by the Sports Act of 1978.

As far as all the 'pro' leagues and elite leagues: They will all just keep spinning because they are all competing, as that is the nature of business. And they can all say they are trying to better the sport blah blah blah, but in the end they are all ultimately trying to find the right equation to make some money. Its like Long Island - 14 inline facilities in less then a 50 mile radius - each one thinking they are the most successful. No problem with making money but in order to do so, each one has to offer something new or different that would make you choose 'them' over 'the other' and will therefore never unite. When one is functional enough or large enough to capture all the talent in some way, then we will see what happens. Meanwhile, in roller hockey in general, people can't even decide on what constitutes talent no less the rules which tend to go hand in hand.

Rebecca

http://community.webshots.com/sym/im...5LGfyvC_ph.jpg

[Benny_Gulakiw]

Rebecca,

I respect your opinion, but I feel that you have a very myopic and uninformed view of what's actually happening behind the scenes at the elite league level.

Benny Gulakiw
President
Inline Hockey America