Zac Seidemann Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 I have been thinking a lot lately about what a pro ball hockey league in North America might look like. As a league or federation, I think its development would look a lot like how quidditch has developed over the years. I think as a league structure it would look very similar to soccer. I think making the playing surface smaller would make for a more exciting game. I think that it would have to separate itself from ice and inline hockey. I don’t think that the old RHI did enough to separate itself from the NHL or ice hockey in general. I think the league being as unique as possible would be the best way to ensure success. I want to know people opinions and ideas on what a pro ball hockey league in North America might look like. So please let me know what you think. Playing surface would be basically same size as handball court. Within 3 feet of 132ftx65ft. compared to the ISBHF (International Street and Ball Hockey Federation) who play on a full-size ice rink (200ftx85ft or 200x100ft). What I think a league format would look like: Major pro, minor pro, semi pro levels. Each level would have 2 leagues with the same standards. Conferences would be 16 teams in 3 regions eastern/western USA and Canada. Preseason would be the last two weeks in February. The regular season would be the first week of March until the last week of September. Teams would play 32 games during the regular season. Playing each team in their conference twice (one hone and one away). 3pts for a win, 0 for a loss and 1 for a draw. No overtime in a regular season game. International breaks would also be taken during ISBHF events. Playoffs would start the first week of October. The top 24 teams would get into the playoffs. The bottom 16 teams would have to play in wildcard games. These games would be best of 1 with overtime. Playoff games starting after the wildcard games would be best of two with an aggregate score with overtime only happening in the second game. Home advantage would be the second game. The league would have pro-rel. The top 2 teams in each conference during the regular season would qualify to be promoted into the next league. The championship team who won the playoffs also qualifies for promotion. Promotion is optional for teams. Teams would have to meet league standards in order to qualify in a league. The bottom 2 to 3 teams in each conference during the regular season would qualify to be relegated into the lower league. There would be triple a, double a, and single a levels for amateur. These leagues would operate similar to NCAA basketball. These levels would also have the same rules as the pro levels. Teams would be put into conferences of up to 16. Teams would play up to 32 games. Each conference would have a tournament. Following those tournaments there would be national (64 team) tournaments for each level. The top 8 teams (level wide) would be promoted into the next level. The top 4 triple a team’s (following the national tournament) would be promoted into semi pro. The open cup would be a single elimination tournament that would happen during the regular season. All the games would be none league regional games with overtime. All teams above amateur automatically qualify. Amateur teams have to qualify. The final for that would be in September. This tournament would be similar to the us open cup that us soccer puts on every year. Champions league is another event that takes place during the regular season. There would be a single champions league for each pro level. The top eight teams from both leagues (following the previous years playoffs) are put into a tournament. The format of the tournament is identical to the playoffs after the wild card games. This would be similar to TheChampions Hockey League. Each franchise at the triple a level and above would have 3 teams. The top or masters team, the reserve team and the junior team. All three teams would play at the same level. For example, national league would have the national reserve and junior leagues. Players can start at pro at 16. Junior leagues would be used primarily for development. Reserve leagues would be used primarily to give players playing time and for injury recovery. Development would be done by loaning out players. Affiliations would only be done with affiliation agreements. These would be single year agreements giving a single team all of a higher-level team’s loans. There would be no salary cap. I think a league like this would start out as an armature league and grow into something the size of the MLS. The league would grow as more investors come in. I think it could eventually expand into Mexico, the rest of what is basically CONCACAF, then Europe and eventually create a worldwide league. I think when a pro league is created, a push would have to be made for the ISBHF to be organized. I think ball hockey could be in the Olympics (with a format like FIFA). I think the ISBHF could run on a 4-year cycle. Year one: qualifying games. Year two (summer Olympic year): regional tournaments. Year three: World cup (with a format like the FIFA world cup). I think that they could do men’s, women’s, and junior, and club team, world championships, (similar to IIHF championships) after the pro season every year. They could also do the club team world cup during that time every 4 years. Please let me know what you think. Any thoughts or comments you have would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Cesarano Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 6 hours ago, Zac Seidemann said: Playing surface would be basically same size as handball court. Within 3 feet of 132ftx65ft. Just last week I found out about the existence of floorball, which is played on a court with a length ranging from 118 to 131 feet, and a width ranging from 59 to 66 feet. In this sport the goalie does not have a stick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zac Seidemann Posted April 25, 2019 Author Share Posted April 25, 2019 3 hours ago, Ferdinand Cesarano said: Just last week I found out about the existence of floorball, which is played on a court with a length ranging from 118 to 131 feet, and a width ranging from 59 to 66 feet. In this sport the goalie does not have a stick. I know about floorball but its not the same as ball hockey. Floorball is closer to bandy while ball hockey is almost identical to ice hockey. Lowering the rink size is also something that NHL did when compared to the IIHF or european rinks. I do like floorball bit is no where near as popular as ball hockey is in north america. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFergusson_20 Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 This would work as there is already a recreation League in Winnipeg with a minors and adult leagues called the Winnipeg Ball Hockey League which runs year round with 2 seasons in Spring-Summer and a Winter League Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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