Tomorrow mornings much anticipated Elite Ice Hockey League 2012/2013 fixtures announcement could be crucial for the Hull Stingrays and their - soon to be official - new owner and managing director Bobby McEwan.
The club - who will, at this point, be fully aware of the outcome of June's important fixtures meeting and the season ahead - have been placed in the yet-to-be officially named 'Northern' Conference following the EIHL's decision to split the top flight in two based on geography.
That decision - supposedly coincidentally - placed the Rays with like-minded Scottish 'minnows' the Dundee Stars, Edinburgh Capitals and Fife Flyers, as well as the Braehead Clan, all of whom they will face six times home and away - up from four last season.
'Southern' Conference and relatively big spending sides Belfast Giants, Cardiff Devils, Coventry Blaze, Sheffield Steelers and the Panthers, meanwhile, will take on the Stingrays just twice home and away - down from four last season - much to the chagrin of EIHL fans the length and breadth of the UK.
The Stingrays - who are now at the tail end of a takeover but at the time of the structure change were in the midst of one - were largely believed to be the 'worst' affected given they now face longer, more frequent and costly road trips to Scotland, and fewer visits from well-supported relatively local sides Nottingham and Sheffield.
Financially it was believed the implications could be massive for the Stingrays - more so than any other side given their geographical location in comparison to other sides in the conference - while on-ice, the effects of hours of travel between East Yorkshire and Scotland would surely also be sizable.
After an initial mix of anger and skepticism from fans, McEwan reassuringly stated at a June fans forum that he was confident the extra competition and increased likeliness of success created by the club facing sides on a similar financial footing more often would negate any detrimental effects from the additional travel and fewer visiting fans.
It was thought the club would also seek to further reduce any other potential negative effects by doubling up a number of fixtures - in particular the two expensive road trips across the Irish Sea against Belfast - which itself has helpfully been reduced by one from last season - or a couple of the increased number of trips to Scotland.
The fixtures announcement will reveal whether or not they have been successful in pitching their plight to the nine other member teams - if they even sought to as suggested.
A pre-season double header against closely linked English Premier League side the Sheffield Steeldogs is one fixture already in the diary ahead of the beginning of the EIHL on 8th and 9th September.
The sides have swapped five players so far in the off-season including Dmitri Rodin, Derek Campbell, Ben Bowns, Chris Sykes and Janis Ozolins and will face each other at the Hull Arena on Saturday 2nd September and Ice Sheffield on Thursday 6th September with the Rays also looking to face another, as yet, unnamed team on Sunday 3rd September.
Though it is believed there was a desire to host another installation of the P&O Cup - which the Rays lifted last season and has featured teams from both the EIHL and Holland in recent years - it seems unlikely there will be one this season given an already tight pre-season schedule.
McEwan revealed to the Hull Daily Mail last week that the clubs players will be arriving in Hull on the 28th or 29th August ahead of the Steeldogs fixtures the following weekend - leaving little to no time for the pre-season tournament which has traditionally been held during the August Bank Holiday.
The club - who will, at this point, be fully aware of the outcome of June's important fixtures meeting and the season ahead - have been placed in the yet-to-be officially named 'Northern' Conference following the EIHL's decision to split the top flight in two based on geography.
That decision - supposedly coincidentally - placed the Rays with like-minded Scottish 'minnows' the Dundee Stars, Edinburgh Capitals and Fife Flyers, as well as the Braehead Clan, all of whom they will face six times home and away - up from four last season.
'Southern' Conference and relatively big spending sides Belfast Giants, Cardiff Devils, Coventry Blaze, Sheffield Steelers and the Panthers, meanwhile, will take on the Stingrays just twice home and away - down from four last season - much to the chagrin of EIHL fans the length and breadth of the UK.
The Stingrays - who are now at the tail end of a takeover but at the time of the structure change were in the midst of one - were largely believed to be the 'worst' affected given they now face longer, more frequent and costly road trips to Scotland, and fewer visits from well-supported relatively local sides Nottingham and Sheffield.
Financially it was believed the implications could be massive for the Stingrays - more so than any other side given their geographical location in comparison to other sides in the conference - while on-ice, the effects of hours of travel between East Yorkshire and Scotland would surely also be sizable.
After an initial mix of anger and skepticism from fans, McEwan reassuringly stated at a June fans forum that he was confident the extra competition and increased likeliness of success created by the club facing sides on a similar financial footing more often would negate any detrimental effects from the additional travel and fewer visiting fans.
It was thought the club would also seek to further reduce any other potential negative effects by doubling up a number of fixtures - in particular the two expensive road trips across the Irish Sea against Belfast - which itself has helpfully been reduced by one from last season - or a couple of the increased number of trips to Scotland.
The fixtures announcement will reveal whether or not they have been successful in pitching their plight to the nine other member teams - if they even sought to as suggested.
A pre-season double header against closely linked English Premier League side the Sheffield Steeldogs is one fixture already in the diary ahead of the beginning of the EIHL on 8th and 9th September.
The sides have swapped five players so far in the off-season including Dmitri Rodin, Derek Campbell, Ben Bowns, Chris Sykes and Janis Ozolins and will face each other at the Hull Arena on Saturday 2nd September and Ice Sheffield on Thursday 6th September with the Rays also looking to face another, as yet, unnamed team on Sunday 3rd September.
Though it is believed there was a desire to host another installation of the P&O Cup - which the Rays lifted last season and has featured teams from both the EIHL and Holland in recent years - it seems unlikely there will be one this season given an already tight pre-season schedule.
McEwan revealed to the Hull Daily Mail last week that the clubs players will be arriving in Hull on the 28th or 29th August ahead of the Steeldogs fixtures the following weekend - leaving little to no time for the pre-season tournament which has traditionally been held during the August Bank Holiday.
