EIHL set for Wembley franchise?

There could be an Elite Ice Hockey League franchise in Wembley Arena, London, within two years, BIH understands.

The move would see the sport return to the venue many class as the spiritual home of British Ice Hockey after almost a twenty year absence.

The last hockey to have been played at Wembley was prior to the start of the Superleague era, when the British Championships were held there in 1996.

Documents from the Competition Commission suggest that current Braehead Clan and Nottingham Panthers owner Neil Black is behind the move to bring back top flight ice hockey to the capital city.

Worldwide arena operators AEG have recently acquired the rights to operate Wembley Arena, however due to their involved with the O2 also a London based multipurpose venue, the deal has been passed to the Competition Commission to review.

AEG are no strangers to British Ice Hockey having owned the now defunct London Knights while also owning and operating the arena they played in, the now demolished London Docklands Arena.

The Knights played in the then Suplereague between 1998 to 2003 and AEG are understood to have been very critical of how the sport was ran in this country.

The last hockey tenant at the former Empire Pool, was the Wembley Lions who played in the venue up until the collapse of the old British National League in 1960.

BIH sources have indicated that the new Wembley team could hit the ice as early as the 2014/15 season, with Black pushing ahead with his exciting EIHL expansion plans.

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