the CAGE

[splinter]

It's coming in 2003, a new style of professional inline hockey.
I have found a company that has agreed to make portable inline hockey rinks. We will be playing on a surface 96'x50'. This is quite a bit smaller than a traditional inline rink but this rink will sit on a regulation sized basketball court. We will be playing in arenas that will seat anywhere between 6,000 - 10,000 fans. We want be playing in skating rinks. We will play 4 0n 4 hockey. This game will be quick and full of action.
Players will earn $100 a game.
This is not a joke. More info will be available soon or email me at [email protected]

[missionhockey21]

Sounds awesome, do you have any idea if or when there will be a website for us to check out.

[splinter]

I realize that some of you think that the Cage may be a little out there, but look at it this way. A lot of small to mid size markets would enjoy inline hockey if they could get into the game. The CAGE will allow more involvement. Why? Almost every town or city in the good ole USA has a gym, right? By reducing the size of the team and the playing surface, the CAGE can be played almost anywhere. Okay, now you may say, there are a lot of skating rinks around. That's true, but how many skating rinks can seat 6,000 people.
The CAGE will open a whole new avenue to inline hockey. Sponsorship and a possible TV contract could be in the wings. You gotta agree, the CAGE has some serious possibilites.
There will not be a franchise fee in 2003,so if you are interested in placing a team in the CAGE, please email me at [email protected] I will send you a CAGE info packet.
Another thing, why is the league going to be called the CAGE? Simple. in the old days, basketball was considered to be played in the cage. So we are going to be playing in the same surroundings so why not? Besides is sounds good.

[FLhockeymom]

That's a pretty small area and don't we already play 4 on 4?

[splinter]

SMALL? I guess one could say it's a little small but the point here is that inline hockey can be played anywhere there is a gym. I would imagine when Arena Football (50 yd field) was introduced in the eighties they thought that was small too.
I think that the game will be a lot quicker and higher scoring.

[CoachChrisG]

One thing you should do is lose the dasher boards and surround the rink with a big chain link fence ala the street basketball and hockey cages you see in the bigger cities. That would look very cool and be a good selling point for the game. It would also reduse the chance of people getting hurt by flying pucks shot into the stands.

I would love to be a part of this league. Send me an e-mail!
L8'R

[slapshot09]

Im all for helping inline hockey grow, However this idea sounds along the lines of the ole "pro beach hockey" and its brother the XFL both were terriable ideas, the pro beach thing was nothing more than who you know to get you on a team and play with your buddies, and well I dont think I need to give a single reason why the XFL failed, HOWEVER both were a bit entertaining and Im not going to knock your new CAGE league idea because your at least thinking of furthering roller hockey into the future. Maybe you could some how lay down sportcourt or icecourt instead of a wooden basketball court...Good luck and keep us up to date on how its coming...

[splinter]

We will be playing on a rink that will be laid over the basketball court, not on the court it's self.

[slapshot09]

Cool, Where is the league going to be based out of? Any chance for any teams in the south?

[splinter]

What part of the south are you from?

[slapshot09]

North Carolina....I know this isent hockey rich country, but with the canes having success its a growing market and the youth programs all over the south, NC,SC,GA,FLA both ice and roller are growing. There was also a college roller hockey league started and seems to be growing as well. So maybe look at the south as a possiable option for a team or teams?

[JohnHockey1798]

Is there any chance that you will be playing in Las Vegas, NV. It sounds like fun and i could get a team together.

John

[splinter]

Sorry, we probably want be coming to Vegas anytime soon. We will do a couple of "preview" games in early 2003 and then we launch a 4 team short season. Each team will play 4 home and 4 away and then a Championship Game.
We are doing legal stuff right now, gotta protect the game before we get started.

[sixpack]

I just have to ask. Is splinter really Pat Osbourn? If so do not beleive a word that this guy says. About a year and a half ago he got everybody pumped up about somekind of pro league, and when it came time to start getting things started, he said he was having health problems and could not start his league. The reason that I say this is the same person is that no real specific info has been posted (ie. costs, sponsors, ect.) and they both have email addresses at this billyhill.com thing. don't get your hopes up for any kind of game from this guy. from what I have seen of him he couldn't even organize a pick up game.

[CoachChrisG]

I don't think this guy is a scam. I have conversed with him by e-mail a number of times in the last few days and he has given me some good logistics on how the rinks are going to be built and what not. Pattenting the league is a good idea as Arena Football did the same thing once upon a time.

Having said that I hope this guy can make this thing work because it seems like a novel idea and it looks like fun. It's also going to be done in a region that hasn't been all that tapped yet so it may flop or it may work. If he does it the way the arena league people did it then it could be successful. I hope so anyway.

L8'R
C.C.