Kelman: Conference system is "only half the solution"

Cardiff Devils’ Managing Director Todd Kelman has urged the Elite League’s smaller clubs to do more to improve their income streams.

Kelman’s comments come on the back of the announcement that the league will switch to a three Conference set-up for the 2017/18 season.

The addition of Guildford Flames and MK Lightning to the league, coupled with doubts over the futures of Dundee Stars, Fife Flyers and Edinburgh Capitals, led to the EIHL agreeing a new structure.

In a statement on the club’s official website, Kelman issued a challenge to the teams that think the ones the Devils share a conference with have a right to bigger crowds and more income on ticket sales and sponsorship.

“Work harder,” said Kelman. “Work harder every day to sell tickets and sponsorship and group packages and corporate hospitality.

“The conference system is a solution to keep us all in business, but it’s only half the solution. The other part is the hard bit.

“Get up and sell every day. Open early, stay late, go to every networking event you can, hire more staff and take the chance on them bringing in more than they cost.

“We don’t sell out because we have a new arena or a great team. We have a great team because we sell out and my MVPs are on the phone right now selling tickets and chasing sponsorship and out at meetings. And it’s April.”

Related TopicsCardiff Devils

1 Comment

jefferson smith

1st May 2017 at 12:18 am

While i agree with Todd Kelman that pretty much all teams need to promote themselves better, i think there is alot more that needs to be done. Edinburgh and Milton keynes have structural pillars blocking spectator views in other sports you might get away with it but hockey is so fast it’s hard to follow. I believe due to the late time of day hockey matches tend to finnish most fans will live within 30 minutes travel of there arena. When Manchester storm played out of the Nynex they had average crowds of around 8000 yet there attendances in Altrincham are less then 1500. I also feel we need a team in the north east playing in the Elite league, a team in Liverpool, Birmingham and above all a team in London to help raise the profile of the sport. I would love to see on a monday night on 1 of the 5 domestic channels 1 game of the week+ highlights show and between periods some explanations on why referee’s make the rullings they have made between periods. And lastly but not least i’d like to see 12 double ice pads for training/development in the UK. Of course any of this is moving in the right direction. The sooner the better though.

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