Ice hockey’s never struck me as a sport to get particularly ‘emotional’ about – it’s about big, rough ‘n’ ready, ‘built-like-a-brick-sh*thouse players’ (Messrs Poole, Kalgoum, Smulter and Zatopek may wish to ask their UK counterparts to explain that phrase), shoving each other into the plexiglass and trying to hack the opposition's legs off using hockey sticks. An undoubtedly physical game yes, partisan and passionate - but emotional?
Ice hockey in Milton Keynes has had its fair share of dramas, back in the days when MK Kings folded/morphed into the MK-Solihull combo, and the subsequent birth of the team we all know and love, MK Lightning. In the summer Sheffield Scimitars folded then re-emerged as the Steeldogs; but as anyone who’s attended any of their home games will have seen, paying supporters aren’t exactly attending in huge numbers. They're obviously going to be paying Andre Payette in chocolate buttons.
Using Newcastle as an example, in a city where some 50,000 regularly pay £20-£30 to watch their team in the top tier of English football, their team in ice hockey’s top tier struggles to get a decent number of supporters to pay £13 to watch the game we love, played at warp speed.
Here comes the history lesson: In the 1980’s, Durham Wasps were massive. I lived in the north-east until ’86 and although I didn’t follow the sport, even I knew what a huge reputation the Wasps had. Formed in 1947, the team pretty much dominated their league for most of the 80’s. In the 90’s, Sir John Hall – the then owner of Newcastle United – decided to form ‘Sporting Club Newcastle’, comprising United as well as the city’s rugby and basketball teams, as well as Durham Wasps. As local sporting allegiences go, if you live in or near Durham it’s pretty much 50-50 whether you’d support Sunderland or Newcastle – so to many Sunderland supporters like me, there was a feeling that Sir John was cheeky buying the Wasps to bolster his evil Geordie empire. To this day there are some former Wasps fans who want nothing to do with the Vipers.
They moved to Sunderland temporarily then to the brand new Newcastle Arena; a subsequent combination of problems with the ice plant, a lack of available ice time, and huge fees charged by Arena management prompted a move to Whitley Bay nearly 10 miles away, which as I’ve mentioned previously isn’t the most modern or accessible venue.
Now, the Vipers’ problems are really coming home to roost, and THEN some. They’ve struggled badly this season in the Elite League, currently second from bottom having won only 3 from 21 and conceded a massive 109 goals. Consequently, support and related income have fallen. This prompts the vicious circle that they can’t invest in quality players to help them to wins, or maximise sponsorship to boost income.
Current Chairman Paddy O’Connor issued an emotive statement on Tuesday that leaves you in absolutely no doubt how bad their situation is (I won’t churn it out here, but have a look on the Vipers’ website). They are in real danger of going out of business – O’Connor says he can’t continue to pump money in as he has, and is actively seeking new backers or even new owners. He admits that whilst some of the problems are of their own making, others aren’t – accusing the Elite League of failing to police the league salary cap and removing the gate receipts levy intended to provide financial assistance to teams, which he says puts Vipers at a massive disadvantage.
I was genuinely shocked at the strength of Paddy O’Connor’s statement. The death throes of ice hockey in the north-east? Much as my hockey allegience is first and foremost to MK Lightning, I’d be really sad to see top tier ice hockey in the area disappear if the Vipers go under. I even feel bad for not going to their game when I was in the area recently. I had a feeling times were tough for them, but I had no idea it was SO bad.
It really brings it home what a minority sport ice hockey is in the UK – and I bet none of us really understand why. If Newcastle Utd were on the brink of going bust, it’d be all over the national news. but the Vipers’ bombshell didn’t even merit a mention on north east regional news programmes. Here in MK we have a hugely successful ice hockey team, reigning league champions that have won multiple honours - but I don’t think we EVER feature on the local news, whilst MK Dons are on regularly. Just think what a bit of exposure could do for door receipts (and I’m not talking about naked ice hockey. Oh hang on, there’s an idea.............!!)
What the Vipers’ problems also highlight is the importance of us ALL doing our bit to help keep MKL in business. Vito, Harry, Nick and the guys and gals on the inside at MKL can’t keep the club going on their own. Newcastle don’t feel that their trust in EIHL has been repaid but all we can do is hope that the EPL will do its best for its member teams – and then get down to Planet Ice as often as we all can, taking new supporters with us where we can, to cheer on the boys and keep the money coming in to help strengthen the team for the future.
Let’s go, Lightning....and fingers crossed for the Vipers!