Hockey: Status quo for now with league format

By TERRY MADDAFORD

It will be steady as she goes for next season's national league, but federation chiefs are not ruling out changes in the future.

The third league season - the first played at the end rather than the start of domestic competition - is over and the national body will be guided by associations and players on a future format.

"We said all along we would play the first two years pre-season and the next two later in the year before looking at changes," New Zealand Hockey Federation chief executive Ramesh Patel said.

"We remain committed to that, but we could tweak things if we felt the need. Any drastic changes - and there have been many suggestions - would not come before 2003."

Among those suggestions are a return to week-long tournaments - the backbone of the sport until the introduction of the six-team leagues in 1999.

The reasoning for backing that system is the code's international format, where almost all competition is on a tournament basis. Tours, as undertaken by other sports, are rare.

"Tournaments are not a cheap option," Patel said.

"By spreading the league over six weeks we get much more exposure for our players and the game as a whole, which is more attractive to sponsors and the media.

"If we held a week-long tournament in a place such as Ashburton, the federation and the associations would struggle to get sponsors. They [the sponsors] would see little value in that."

Patel said the first few days of the Challenge Shield (men) and K Cup (women) tournaments were often boring. Top players were not seen until the latter rounds.

"We could look at the Australians who play weekend round-robin matches then have a three-day weekend to play their last round, the semifinals and final at the one venue.

"That gives an opportunity to bring all the players, match officials and selectors together."

The league costs about $200,000 to host, of which $144,000 goes in air fares.

The costs are equalised among the 12 teams who pay $12,000 each.

Patel said the fall in crowd figures this year was a concern.

"When we played earlier in the year [in 1999 and last year] we were competing with the Super 12. Now it's the NPC. It is something we will have to look at.

"There have been thoughts of a double round-robin - perhaps with double headers - or a combination of a tournament and then the league for the second round.

"By having a league, and with it the chance for players to play around the country, there is a feel-good factor.

"We make huge demands on our top players. Having the league played in thepresent format gives them something back."

The federation is keeping its options open over a bid to host an Olympic qualifying tournament in 2003.

"If we do apply, it is likely to be for the men's tournament," Patel said. "There will again be a 12-team competition for men in Athens.

"Depending on the Continental qualifying procedure it is likely five or six teams will come from the qualifying tournament."

Ten teams will play the women's tournament in Athens, with three or four to come through a qualifying tournament.