Irish Hockey League Re-structure Conclusions and Recommendations IHL Working Group May

Consultation Feedback Over-riding feedback is for change with sufficient support for a move to a full IHL Some of the key points made in support of a full IHL and the structure it should take were: More clubs want to be involved in some capacity, both to fulfil their ambitions but also to: Reduce the potential for ‘superclubs’ with a big gap to the next level Mitigate against player movement of the top players to a few clubs Structure needs to be meritocracy in conjunction with easy ability to go up as well as down Existing calendar already too crowded- little room for flexibility/winter break/ Indoor Recognition that a full IHL will not work for some: Some players work /family commitments will limit their ability to have a ‘long IHL career’ Some clubs with dependence on schools players cannot sustain a full IHL season given competing schools commitments (exams and hockey)

Consultation Feedback (2) While there is support for change, many different views on the structure the competition should take and notes of caution were heard: Some Branches and some clubs concerned about impact to Branch competitions Loss of 1 st team of some clubs to IHA competition de-values Branch competitions Potential for other loss to be experienced – Control? Financial? Tradition? Important to get it right rather than change quickly Don’t consider what is right for the men should be the same for the women May not be the same depth of clubs and/or players seeking full IHL competition By way of example, EHL is not a mirror copy across both genders Financial considerations must be a factor that is kept to the fore

IHLWG Proposal Different structure for the men and women to be introduced from season 2015/16 Men: 2 x IHL Divisions comprising of 10 teams each Women: 1 x IHL Division comprising of 10 teams with an annual ‘club championships style’ for top 8 provincial teams (IHL2) Winners and European Qualification Winner of IHL1 (18 games) guaranteed minimum Irish No. 2 spot to Europe Top 3 IHL + Irish Senior Cup winner compete in end of season ……… “Irish Hockey Championships” If ISC winner is in IHL top 3 then ISC runner up invited to join and if ISC runner up is also in top 3 then IHL 4 joins Winner of Irish Hockey Championships gets Irish No.1 European spot If winner also won the IHL1 League, then No. 2 spot goes to Championship finalist Relegation Bottom team in IHL1 is automatically relegated 2 nd bottom team enters a play-off to retain place 4

I HLWG Proposal (2) How does this meet the consultation feedback?  More clubs involved limiting threat of ‘super clubs’ breakaway:  Men: 20 clubs; Women: 18 clubs (including shortened IHL2)  Meritocracy  Automatic relegation for lowest finishing team  Automatic promotion for winner of IHL2  IHL1 9 th place & IHL2 2 nd playoff for IHL1 place in following season  Player retention  More clubs involved – less reason for players to ‘have to’ move in order to play IHL  Openness of route to IHL1 means ambitious clubs can retain player commitment with achievable target of getting to IHL1 within 1 season (women) and 2 seasons (men)  Congested calendar - Number of games reduced from c.23 to 18  Waiting until 2015 gives time for:  Clubs to prepare  Finding a sponsor that will potentially offset some club costs Detail of structure for men and women IHL competition on next slides 5

IHL Proposal - MEN 6 IHL 1IHL2 No. of teams (Games) 10 (9 home /9 away matches) 10 (9 home /9 away matches) 1 st Year Ulster: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Leinster : 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Munster: 1 Playoff : U5/ L5/ M2 (representation influenced by Clubs IHL rankings) (Ulster 5 in IHL1) Ulster: 6/ 7/ 8 Leinster: 5/ 6/ 7 /8 Munster: 2/ 3 Playoff: U9/ L9 /M4 (Leinster 5 in IHL1) Ulster: 5/ 6/ 7/ 8 Leinster: 6/ 7 /8 Munster: 2/ 3 Playoff: U9/ L9 /M4 (Munster 2 in IHL1) Ulster: 5/ 6/ 7/ 8 Leinster: 5/ 6/ 7 /8 Munster: 3 Playoff: U9/ L9 /M4 1 st Year Qualification Based on Provincial finishing end 2014/15 (as above) 8 Ulster/8 Leinster/3 Munster teams fill 19 out of 20 positions between IHL 1 & IHL 2 as per above. 20 th position (IHL2) is playoff between next teams (U9 /L9 /M4) Promotion /winners Winner: guaranteed European No. 2 Final Championship for European No. 1: IHL 1/ 2/ 3 + ISC 1 Winner: Automatic promotion to IHL1 Runner up: Play-off with IHL 9 th place for place in IHL1 Relegation 10 th relegated to IHL2 9 th –playoff with IHL2 2 nd placed finisher IHL2 10 th : Relegated to home province IHL2 9 th : Round robin playoffs with winners of Ulster /Leinster /Munster with top 2 finishers in IHL2 in the following season

IHL Proposal - WOMEN 7 IHL 1IHL 2 (end of season) No. of teams ( Games) 10 (9 home /9 away) 8 (2 pools of 4 teams /3 games) 1 st Year Ulster: 1 / 2 / 3 Leinster : 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Munster: 1 / 2 Connacht: 1 (representation influenced by Clubs IHL Rankings) Ulster Premier Leinster Division 1 Munster Division 1 Connacht Division 1 1 st Year Qualification Based on Provincial finishing end 2014/15 (as above) All teams play full provincial league which qualifies teams for end of season IHL2 Championship. Ulster 1/2/3; Leinster 1/2/3; M1/ winner M2 /C1 Weekend 1: Round robin 3 games/ top 2 each pool qualify Weekend 2: Knock out Promotion /winners Winner: guaranteed European No. 2 Final Championship for European No. 1: IHL 1/ 2/ 3 + ISC 1 Winner: Automatic promotion to IHL1 Runner up: Play-off with IHL 9 th place for place in IHL1 Relegation 10 th relegated to home province 9 th –playoff with IHL2 2 nd placed finisher Provincial rules for relegation to provincial Division 2 applies Re-structured based on Branch rules

IHL Proposal – OTHER FEATURES 8 Features / Requirements Match timesIn order of precedence: -Date/time set by club mutual agreement (Fri night through Sun) - Sunday /Friday night games (to increase spectator numbers) - When time cannot be agreed: - In province match: Between 1-5pm, home team decision - Out of province: Between 1-3pm, (if unresolved IHA decides) Note: Mandatory Face to Face Fixtures meeting before season start Match FormatIHA Rules of Hockey (no other variations) OfficialsUmpires appointed by IHUA – mostly in province matches No Technical Bench but 1 Judge for each game to manage suspension timings and completion of the match card Host GuidelinesNo rule requirement to host opposition /officials Teams can make mutual arrangements based on facilities, travel, etc. SetupSame as ISC (no requirement for ball patrol, PA.) RegistrationRules and systems to be reviewed to ensure fit for purpose. Sharing of data with Branches will be required Provincial CupsIHL teams to play in provincial cups, as is

Consultation Process Consultation input Input from High Performance and Branch Competitions’ representatives Initial ‘strawman’ outline structure to help articulate and bring a full IHL ‘to life’ shared on the website 3 Fora held with 200 attendees in total spread across the three meetings 3 written submissions on suggested structures – one from a combination of some Ulster men’s premier clubs Approx 10 letters expressing views on a full IHL, the initial ‘strawman’, etc. Next steps Proposal to be available to all via the IHA website for 4 weeks Opportunity for anybody to comment via website feedback option (clubs, Branches, players, hockey community) Final proposal to with the IHA Board in early June for consideration and decision 9

Questions & Answers Some questions and answers follow on the next slides 10

Q1 What is the thinking behind the proposal being outlined, particularly as to why 2 Divisions? The IHLWG believe the proposals meet the broad desire for change to a full season IHL format. The addition of a second division addresses the consultation response that more clubs want to be involved and by having more clubs involved the fear of losing players to ‘IHL Clubs’ diminishes. Q2 Explain why different IHL 2 for women and men? A pragmatic recognition that Club dynamics/age profile of players is different between the men & women’s game (more school players/school coaches) The IHLWG was keen to keep the IHL 1 format the same for both genders but felt the end of season IHL 2 championship was currently more appropriate/workable for the women’s game. Men’s clubs were more vocal in having more clubs involved and an IHL 1 and IHL 2 full season leagues provides this breadth of involvement. Q3 It was stated that all the Fora were keen on meritocracy – why do you think that was the case? People commented that meritocracy is the essence of competition and believe that teams should either be promoted to or relegated from the IHL based purely on performance and not influenced either by the number of teams from a Province or where you finished relative to other Provincial teams in the IHL. Nobody was in favour of a ‘handout’. 11

Q4 Were you surprised by the feedback where more clubs rather than less wanted to be involved in the IHL? Yes to a degree, however there was a concern/worry among many that non IHL Clubs would be left behind and/or players would migrate to IHL Clubs making this a self fulfilling prophecy. This feedback certainly influenced our thinking on the men’s side and the recommendation of IHL 1 & IHL 2 allows 20 men’s clubs to be in the IHL with clear pathways between IHL 1 & 1HL 2 and into IHL 2 from provincial leagues. We believe that this approach will appeal to ambitious clubs and allow them set out their stall and plans to their players, especially those they have developed. Q5 A number of the Ulster Premier mens clubs submitted a proposal for a ‘split season’ with all teams going into either IHL 1 or IHL 2 after Christmas. Why did you not go with this option? This was a welcomed proposal and provided reassurance to the IHLWG that by having both an IHL 1 & an IHL 2 on the men’s side we were on the right tracks. The “split season” proposal had 10 IHL 1/IHL 2 games post Christmas so the IHLWG recommended step to an 18 game full IHL season is not huge. The IHLWG also felt that the split season pre Christmas phase without home/away balanced approach may adversely impact on post Christmas IHL qualification. In addition, it didn’t lend itself to all provincial leagues nor to giving the Calendar flexibility to meet moving HP competition dates in different years. 12

Q6 Why are 10 Team IHL leagues recommended? This decision was influenced by various feedback/ideas received a) 10 teams (18 games) helps to decongest the season as the comparable number of games in a current season is up to 23 games (18 Provincial League + 5 IHL games) b) The number of away games are reduced and as a consequence travel costs Q7 Are IHL teams part of their Provincial set-up? The IHLWG is keen to stress that IHL teams are very much part of their Province and are their Province’s representatives in the IHL. All IHL teams will take part in their Provincial Cup competitions and obviously all junior sides of IHL teams will remain as is. Q8 What about incremental Club Costs? The IHLWG (as Club members) are well aware of this concern. The design of 10 team (as opposed to 12 team) leagues helps to lessen away travel and the different design of the women’s IHL 2 also recognises demographics within the game. We are hopeful that a lead/main sponsor can be found in the lead in period of 18 months given the IHL is a more marketable product and if so this will allow assistance to be shared equitably. 13

Q9 What would happen if we moved to this format and it were to fail – either for the men or the women? As is the current case, the structure is under constant review and a formal review takes place every two seasons to ensure fit for purpose. If the structure was seen to be failing the clubs and/or players, then action would be taken to change Q10 What if a club qualifies for the IHL but doesn’t wish to play at that level? This is a possible scenario and is covered in the IHL Rules and also in most competition rules today. A club may opt at any time to ‘drop down’ for a variety of reasons and this will be covered in the Rules as to how teams will ‘shuffle up’ and the vacant position be filled (different if gap occurs in IHL 1 or IHL 2). Q11 What about player registration and how will this work? The detail of the registration process has yet to be worked out and this will need to be done in conjunction with the respective provincial competitions groups. Clearly, some players move between 1 st XI and 2 nd XI squads and this needs to be managed and not open to abuse as well as consistency of approach around player movement (as players cannot play for 2 clubs in the one season at IHL 1 level). 14