British Ice Hockey Superleague
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| Countries | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Federation(s) | IIHF |
| Founded | November 1995 |
| First season | 1996-97 |
| Folded | 2003 |
| No. of teams | 9 (peak figure) |
| Feeder League(s) | British National League |
| Championship | Superleague trophy |
| Associated Title(s) |
British Championship Express Cup Benson & Hedges Cup |
| Recent Champions | Sheffield Steelers (2002-03) |
| Most successful club |
Sheffield Steelers 2 times winners |
| Website | www.iceweb.co.uk |
The British Ice Hockey Superleague (BISL, also known as the Sekonda Ice Hockey Superleague from 1998–99 for sponsorship reasons) was a professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom between 1996 and 2003. Devised in 1995, it replaced the premier division of the British Hockey League at the end of 1995–1996 season; following the major reshuffle of the league and the split between the first and second tier divisions; with the British National League becoming the new second tier division. It was disbanded after the 2002–2003 season and replaced by the Elite Ice Hockey League. Unlike its North American counterparts, the Superleague was not divided into conferences; teams competed in a single division.
The Ice Hockey Superleague Ltd was established on 1 November 1995 and held its first season in 1996–1997 with eight founding clubs – Ayr Scottish Eagles, Basingstoke Bison, Bracknell Bees, Cardiff Devils, Manchester Storm, Newcastle Cobras, Nottingham Panthers, and Sheffield Steelers.
Several competitions fell under the jurisdiction of the Superleague. The Superleague ran a total of four competitions: the League, the Play-offs, the Express Cup and the Benson and Hedges Cup. The league consisted of a single division, each team playing three home games and three away games against the other teams in the league. Two points were awarded for a win and one point for an overtime defeat. Overtime consisted of 10 minutes of sudden death. The team that had most points after all fixtures were completed were declared Superleague champions.
After the regular season was complete, the teams would be entered into the play-offs, the winner of which won the British Championship. The teams were entered into two groups, Group A and Group B, each team playing three home games and three away games against the other teams in the group. Two points were awarded for a win and one point for an overtime defeat. Overtime consisted of 10 minutes of sudden death. The top two teams in each group qualified for the semi-finals, which were straight knockout matches. Both the semi finals and final took place over the course of a weekend.
The Superleague was governed by a board of directors who were the owners of the participating teams with Martin Weddell as Chairman. The chief executive Ian Taylor from 1996–02 was replaced by the league's former secretary, Brian Storey in what would be the leagues final season of 2003. A system of promotion and relegation was not operated by the Superleague; teams entered the league on the basis of a decision by the Board of Directors, however the British National league was regarded as the league below the level of the Superleague.
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