It's that time again.
Silly season. Rumour and counter-rumour.
The Elite League is dying (some of it is), Manchester Phoenix in financial trouble, Telford Tigers to ENL, Fife Flyers to anywhere that will have them - the list is endless.
The case of the Flyers got me thinking though...
They're the oldest ice hockey team in the UK with a bulging trophy cabinet yet find themselves playing in what their fans describe as "diddy leagues".
Since the end of the BNL in 2005 the Flyers have endured a less than heady mix of Scottish National League or Northern League fare, with neither providing the level of competition their stature deserves.
Southern rivals like Guildford Flames and Slough Jets have found a sustainable level in the EPL, while further north Newcastle Vipers and Edinburgh Capitals have enjoyed mixed Elite League fortunes.
And that's what got me thinking...
The EPL, on the face of it, seems to be working. Four imports allowed and generally competitive games throughout the season but with one major issue - the most northerly team is in Altrincham.
So with a bit of fiddling about here and there, is the time right to turn the EPL into the BPL?
Currently operating with 10 teams, the EPL could strengthen its ranks by inviting Fife, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Solway Shawks and Whitley Warriors into the mix.
The cost of travel is often put forward as a reason not to do this but regionalised conferences or shared travel between teams for the longest journeys are an option.
Expanding the current format would provide a product far more reflective of British hockey than the lopsided and financially flawed Elite League.
Fife deserve a better platform given their history while it makes financial sense for Newcastle & Edinburgh to follow the lead of Manchester and cut their cloth accordingly. Solway and Whitley are both capable of making the step up to the next level.
The British Premier League? Sounds good to me.
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