Sheffield Steelers and Elite League rivals set to discuss plans for 12-week, Covid-secure season starting in January with ‘at least’ 10 imports

All 10 teams will be represented to pore over the latest developments of what has been a rapid few days of progress brought about by the potential £4m government lifeline that was recently made available as part of a wider £300m package of support measures for various spectator sports.

It is understood the funding will be in the form of a grant and not a loan as initially mooted, under the proviso that the EIHL produces a competitive on-ice product.

The funding – necessary due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic – can only be shared between the five English teams, including Sheffield Steelers.

Belfast Giants and Cardiff Devils, along with Scottish rivals Fife Flyers, Dundee Stars and Glasgow Clan, are working to secure their own funding via their respective devolved administrations.

Should the season go ahead, games will take place behind-closed-doors with fans able to buy tickets to watch live streams, much like the recent ‘Streaming Series’ involving NIHL National teams, including neighbouring Sheffield Steeldogs.

It’s understood the several Steelers players currently playing in various parts of Europe – including GB internationals Davey Phillips, Jonathan Phillips and Robert Dowd – will be summoned back before the end of this year to prepare for an early January start date.

The Steelers will look to stage their games at Ice Sheffield and while every effort is being made by the league to secure funding for the five non-English teams, there is a chance a five-team competition may be the only option.

Last night, Nottingham Panthers’ owner Neil Black said he expected at least six-teams to take part in a 12-week season that would likely see the number of imports reduced from 14 to ‘at least 10’.

Talking to BBC Nottingham’s Chris Ellis, Black said the season was likely to start by early February at the latest, although January is a more likely launch date, finishing in enough time for players to head off to the World Championships on Great Britain duty, should they still go ahead.

He also insisted there would be major emphasis placed on making conditions covid secure with the possibility of those involved being tested twice a week, much like footballers currently are in the Premier League and at lower levels.
“We’re very hopeful that if everything fell into place that we could be looking to start playing sometime in January,” said Black. “So, what we’re working really hard to try and make happen, is a 12-week season, starting as soon as we’ve got everything in place.

“A 12-week season would work, starting anything from early January to early February.

“We think we can have a very efficient Covid-secure environment from which to launch,” added Black. “If we’re looking at a scenario of a 12-week season and we’re looking at maybe just six teams, what we cannot deal with is teams not being able to play due to Covid. So what we’re envisaging at the moment is a complete bubble.

“So what we’re talking about is bringing players in on their own in order to be in a bubble, completely in a bubble, basically in a hotel very close to the venue and we would secure everything in that environment, so would all the other teams playing.”

WATCH - to see the full Neil Black interview with BBC Nottingham go HERE

Black said if the worst-case scenario of six teams was to go ahead, proposals have been made for the top four teams to progress to some kind of play-off finals weekend in Nottingham sometime in April.

On the subject of import numbers, Black added: “I would suggest that it would definitely be reduced because what we’re absolutely intending to do is make sure that all the opportunities there were for British players in the league season 2019-20 league season are guaranteed if possible.

“So, we’ll be looking – if it is a worst-case scenario of six teams – we’d be looking to make sure we’ve got at least room for 50-odd British players. That would mean about eight per team, so we would probably looking at something in the range of a minimum of 10 imports - it could be a few more.”

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