Federal Ice Hockey League (Alsland)

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Federal Ice Hockey League
Federaal iishockey kompetysje (Dellish)
Eishockey-Bundesliga (Weranian)
Föderaalne jäähokiliiga (Kirenian)
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2022–23 FIHK season
FIHK Logo.png
FormerlyAlslandic Ice Hockey Championship
SportIce hockey
Founded1939
PresidentSotirian Atkinson
No. of teams26
Most recent
champion(s)
Súdwâl Wottested (9th title)
Most titlesLeofham (16)
TV partner(s)
Related
competitions
  • Super Ice Hockey League (SIHK)
  • Under-18 Federal Ice Hockey League (Û-18 FIHK)
  • Women's Federal Ice Hockey League (FFIHK)
Official websiteFIHK.as

The Federal Ice Hockey League (Dellish: Federaal iishockey kompetysje FIHK, Weranian: Eishockey-Bundesliga EHBL, Kirenian: Föderaalne jäähokiliiga FJHL), more commonly known as FIHK is a national professional ice hockey league in Alsland founded in 1939. It comprises of 26 teams from across Alsland. The FIHK is the most popular sporting league in Alsland attracting a record 3.2 Million viewers in Alsland for the 2021 Final between Súdwâl Wottested and Leofham. The winner of each annual tournament is given the Federaasjetrofee.

The FIHK was founded in 1939 to succeed the Alslandic Ice Hockey Championship which ceased operations during the Great War. The first season began on 11 October 1939 and lasted until 1 June 1940. The result was a victory for Leofham over their main rival Rahu. The first season had one team from each province of Alsland. This rule was dropped in 1952 and since the League has expanded to 26 teams across Alsland.

The league's headquarters are in Wottested, Delland where they have been headquartered since 1955. The league is also funded by the Department of Culture and Sport. The Department helps fund the league and in return the FIHK provides free international advertisements for Alsland and tourism. The FIHK is symbolic of Alsland's federal structure and pillarisation in the country.

History

Early years

The 1939-40 Rahu team are considered one of the greatest in FIHK history

FIHK was founded on 17 March 1939 as the successor of the Alslandic Ice Hockey Championship (AKIH) which was suspended and then closed during the Great War. Originally FIHK was a fixed league between the best teams from each province as had been the case with AKIH, the teams were usually the team of the provincial capital or largest city in the province. The League's first President was Loadewyk Molenaar, a former manager of Inerlik Yndyk. Molenaar held the role of President until a corruption scandal in 1945. The first season ended with Rahu defeating Inerlik Yndyk 2-1. Ensuing anti-Kirenian riots broke out in Yndyk led to 11 injuries and 1 death, however the league was deemed a major success and was allowed to continue.

Shortly before the 1940-41 season the Rahu home stadium was burned in an act of arson forcing the team to move to Kuresuu for the next two seasons. Following seasons saw an increase in interest and spectators. 13,000 watched the 1947 finals between Interlik and Leofham which was a record at the time. The league's crisis with anti-Kirenian racism came to a head during the 1949-50 season as it was held during the Kirenian-Weranian War. Weranian fans would bring signs with anti-Kirenian slurs and Kirenian fans brought the Kirenian flag. The 1950 Rahu riots left 13 mainly Kirenian fans dead after rioting broke out during a match between Glauchau and Rahu. The remainder of the season was cancelled after this and the league invested in security to protect fans and prevent riots.

In 1952, FIHK President Wytze Vonk announced that the FIHK would allow more teams to participate allowing other high performing teas to compete in the league. The rule of one team per province was also lifted and saw a sharp rise in participation. Between 1952 and 1980 the FIHK went from 8 teams to 16 teams participating. A record amount of 28 teams participated in the 2008-09 season.

Martiland crisis and activism

In 1966 after the Martish provincial government declared a state of emergency related to strikes and instability the FIHK voted to suspend all matches being played in Martiland for the foreseeable future. Martish teams would instead have to travel to other stadiums to play which led to a decline in the performance of Martish teams. The 1975 general strike and ensuing crackdown saw the Martish teams withdraw from the FIHK in protest. The withdrawal of the teams forced the FIHK board to announce a fund to help those injured in the protests. The move faced widespread backlash especially in Delland, Garz and Zittau however the fund remained and raised far more than expected. The Martiland crisis was the informal beginning of the FIHK's activism which was spearheaded by individual players and teams.

The Martish teams rejoined the league in 1979 as part of the nationwide reconciliation effort. In 1979, Rahu and Sachsenscheid played off in the finals and despite riots being expected no violence was reported after the game. In 1988 the Department of Culture and Sport began funding the league to help it out of financial trouble it had incurred over the past decade. The Department commands a controlling stake within the FIKH which features heavily in tourism campaigns for Alsland and is a source of income for the country.

Modern era

Thiadrik De Jager became the first player to win the Bêstespilerpriis twice in a row

In the final of the 2002-03 season the game had the most one sided result in the history of the league when Rahu defeated Newick 6-1. Viewership in this season was also the highest in the league's history. The Under-18 Federal Ice Hockey league (Û-18 FIHK) was started in 2004 as a nationwide competition between High School Ice Hockey teams and as a means of recruitment for the FIHK. In this year the FIHK also bought the Women's Ice Hockey Championship and incorporated the championship into the FIHK. Women's Ice Hockey is now one of the most watched sports in Alsland after seeing a rise in popularity following the purchase.

In 2017, Noardwâl Wottested player Thiadrik De Jager became the first player to win the Bêstespilerpriis twice in a row and after the season he had the second most scores in FIHK history after Ardo Eskola. De Jager announced his intention to retire from professional Ice Hockey after the 2022-23 season. The 2021 final between Súdwâl Wottested and Leofham attracted a record 3.2 Million viewers on TV. The final also had a record of 30,000 spectators in Leofham.

Teams

2021-22 Season teams

Team City Arena Capacity Joined Manager Head coach Captain
Leens Leens Deltestadion TBD 1952 Joosep Levandi Lekke Kuperus Rinnelt Boomsma
Rikertsted Rikertsted Sintrale Arena TBD 1974 Reink Faber Eljer Baarda Tetman Tichelaar
Noardwâl Wottested Wottested Kei Holwerda stadion TBD 1939 Loof Hannema Michael Green Karim Fathi
Súdwâl Wottested Wottested Súd Wottested fertrouwen stadion TBD 1953 Upke Bottema Haiko Feitsma Josua Tugendhat
Newick Newick 2X Arena TBD 1967 Stephen Jones Carter Bradley Tom Ball
Oakford Oakford Oakford Town Stadium TBD 2018 Luke Shaw Erik Newman Jude Edwards
Leofham Leofham Leofham David Park TBD 1939 Thomas Carter Jonathan Bennett Eden Johnston
Sydenham Sydenham Sydenham 'James the First' Stadium TBD 1954 Sidney Hall Ernest Taylor Myles Martin
Norton Norton Norton-Rosewood Stadium TBD 1963 Frank Robertson Chester Bradley Steven May
Sachsenscheid Sachsenscheid Sachsenscheid Eishockey-Arena TBD 1957 Nils Schünemann Erik Grünberg Alexander Hartlieb
Werdau Werdau Ernst Lutz Stadion TBD 1939 Bastian Adorf Falko Holthusen Bruno Heidler
Lahnbeuren Lahnbeuren Lahnbeuren Stadion TBD 1988 Arthur Enzensberger Jochen Weinberg Thorsten Siegel
Osgarburgh Osgarburgh Osgarburgh Ilhurst Arena TBD 1939 Alistair Atkinson David Edwards Harris Foster
Osgarburgh-Redwike Osgarburgh Dillon Burton Park TBD 2013 Connor Harris Ashton Pearson Keegan Walsh
Merrow Lake Merrow Merrow Wells Arena TBD 1989 Stefan Mitchell Miller Lewis Alex Porter
Millhurst Millhurst Guildwood Greens Arena TBD 2001 Victor Wilson Cameron Jones David Richardson
Paiski Paiski Rahu Staadion TBD 1984 Asko Rummo Vaiko Lohmus Vidrik Klavan
Rahu Rahu Rahu Iseseisvus Staadion TBD 1939 Janek Kukk Ott Vesik Erko Sibul
Boalsert Boalsert Boalsert Griene bakstien Staadion TBD 2009 Wupke Van Der Velde Jolling Yntema Wekke Schotanus
Hurdegaryp Hurdegaryp Hurdegaryp Arena TBD 1939 (originally) Haye Bloemsma Walig Joustra Floris Van Dijk
Kuresuu Kuresuu Läänekirik Arena TBD 1977 Aleksander Rebane Edgar Peebo Siimeon Mitt
Achlum Yndyk Achlum Staadion TBD 1983 Thije De Leeuw Reamer Oosterbaan Aam Buma
Inerlik Yndyk Yndyk Federaasje Staadion TBD 1939 Narsete Pierotti Hidzer Zijlstra Migiel Schuurmans
Krikkested Krikkested Krikkested Arena TBD 1954 Rein Wynia Rypke Wieringa Habe Vlietstra
Allkau Allkau Allkau Arena TBD 1989 Jens Glasser Sam Preiszner Stefan Ratzinger
Glauchau Glauchau Glauchau Zentral Arena TBD 1939 (originally) Gabriel Köler Leonhard Hegewald Armin Hölderlin

Players

Players in the FIHK predominantly come from Alsland. As of 2021, 598 players in the FIHK are Alslandic whilst the remaining 52 players come from foreign countries. The largest nationality of foreign players in the FIHK as of 2021 is TBD, representing TBD players. In total there are TBD nationalities represented in the FIHK.

The FIHK previously only had Alslandic players and in some cases players from neighbouring countries but in recent years this has expanded with more players from different countries being signed on to play in the FIHK. The teams with the most foreign players are Inerlik and Noardwâl Wottested. In 2018 the FIHK launched a program to scout talent from other nations, this prompted backlash particularly in Alsland but the program went ahead and as of 2020 a total of TBD players have been recruited via the program.

FIHK players are represented by the Ice Hockey Federal League Players Union (IHFKPU) of which every player in the league is a member of. The Union has began strike action on several occasions notably in 2007 after controversial new rules regarding the age and weight of players were proposed. The rules were never implemented because of the strike.

Country Players active
Alsland Alsland 598
Azmara Azmara 3
Champania Champania 1
File:ImaguaFlag.png Imagua and the Assimas 1
Piraea Piraea 1
Soravia Soravia 8
Vinalia Vinalia 1
TBD (All foreign players) 37

Trophies

Seasons overview

1936-1959

Season Teams Gold medal icon.svg Federaasjetrofee Winner Silver medal icon.svg Federaasjetrofee finalist Final score Teams with most points Top scorer
1939-40 8 Rahu Inerlik Yndyk 4-3 Rahu Veiko Viiding
1940-41 8 Wottested Hurdegaryp 2-1 Werdau Pylgrim Attema
1941-42 8 Werdau Rahu 2-0 Rahu Veiko Viiding
1943-44 8 Werdau Leofham 1-0 Glauchau Franklin West
1945-46 8 Osgarburgh Rahu 2-1 Osgarburgh Jaitse Molenaar
1946-47 8 Wottested Werdau 3-2 Osgarburgh Sven Pfitzner
1947-48 8 Inerlik Yndyk Hurdegaryp 3-0 Leofham Tsjark Van Der Laan
1948-49 8 Leofham Inerlik Yndyk 3-2 Werdau Percy Reynolds
1949-50 8 Season cancelled after 1950 Rahu riots Glauchau Theodor Kühne
1950-51 8 Rahu Glauchau 5-1 Osgarburgh Theo Thomson
1951-52 8 Hurdegaryp Glauchau 1-0 Rahu Mikk Paasuke
1952-53 9 Leens Rahu 2-1 Leofham Eite Smit
1953-54 10 Rahu Súdwâl Wottested 3-1 Osgarburgh Aarnt Rodenhuis
1954-55 12 Leofham Súdwâl Wottested 4-3 Rahu Henn Mannik
1955-56 12 Inerlik Yndyk Rahu 3-2 Werdau Cäsar Kluck
1956-57 12 Sydenham Leofham 3-0 Rahu Cameron Wells
1957-58 12 Osgarburgh Werdau 2-1 Inerlik Yndyk Herbert Wynia
1958-59 12 Súdwâl Wottested Sydenham 2-1 Súdwâl Wottested Mink Bleeker

1960-1999

Season Teams Gold medal icon.svg Federaasjetrofee Winner Silver medal icon.svg Federaasjetrofee finalist Final score Teams with most points Top scorer
1959-60 12 Leofham Leens 2-1 Rahu Ibert Dam
1960-61 11 Osgarburgh Leofham 3-1 Rahu Agu Kallaste
1961-62 11 Osgarburgh Werdau 4-2 Súdwâl Wottested Laus Hibma
1962-63 11 Súdwâl Wottested Noardwâl Wottested 3-2 Súdwâl Wottested Alistair Edwards
1963-64 12 Rahu Leofham 2-0 Rahu Ardo Lippmaa
1964-65 12 Rahu Inerlik 3-1 Rahu Ardi Oja
1965-66 12 Rahu Krikkested 5-1 Rahu Ardo Lippmaa
1966-67 12 Leofham Inerlik 2-1 Werdau Roland Wallmann
1967-68 13 Sydenham Krikkested 1-0 Osgarburgh Robbie Evans
1968-69 13 Leens Noardwâl Wottested 3-1 Leofham Tieje Cnossen
1969-70 13 Inerlik Leofham 4-3 Noardwâl Wottested Gaie Hylkema
1970-71 13 Osgarburgh Werdau 2-0 Noardwâl Wottested Gaie Hylkema
1971-72 13 Leofham Rahu 3-0 Súdwâl Wottested Lukas Gill
1972-73 13 Sydenham Leofham 5-4 Sachsenscheid Janik Gegenbauer
1973-74 13 Súdwâl Wottested Leofham 2-1 Werdau Axel Toman
1974-75 14 Leofham Leens 5-3 Norton Edison Gardner
1975-76 13 Inerlik Noardwâl Wottested 4-1 Osgarburgh Aart Meinsma
1976-77 13 Leens Sydenham 3-2 Leens Rochus De Wilde
1977-78 15 Newick Rikertsted 1-0 Leofham Mark Thompson
1978-79 15 Leofham Noardwâl Wottested 4-1 Súdwâl Wottested Dekke Hiemstra
1979-80 16 Leofham Rahu 5-4 Rahu Vootele Rummo
1980-81 16 Noardwâl Wottested Súdwâl Wottested 3-0 Rahu Juhan Keskkula
1981-82 16 Inerlik Rahu 3-0 Leofham Toby Burton
1982-83 17 Leofham Osgarburgh 3-2 Leens Ingbert Van Der Molen
1983-84 18 Súdwâl Wottested Hurdegaryp 6-4 Werdau Markus Ehrenbaum
1984-85 19 Leens Inerlik 2-0 Leofham Gjerryt De Hoop
1985-86 19 Sachsenscheid Sydenham 2-1 Norton Marshall Poole
1986-87 19 Osgarburgh Noardwâl Wottested 3-2 Rahu Kajar Kapp
1987-88 19 Rahu Werdau 3-0 Inerlik Harmen Van Der Zee
1988-89 20 Rikertsted Súdwâl Wottested 3-0 Werdau Marko Fleischmann
1989-90 22 Paiski Rahu 4-2 Krikkested Joarrit Faber
1990-91 22 Inerlik Súdwâl Wottested 1-0 Leofham Declan May
1991-92 23 Leofham Rahu 2-1 Kuresuu Joosep Nurme
1992-93 23 Noardwâl Wottested Osgarburgh 5-1 Kuresuu Sappe Vlietstra
1993-94 23 Norton Merrow Lake 3-2 Rahu Nigulas Koiv
1994-95 24 Sachsenscheid Leofham 4-3 Inerlik Adriaan Kroes
1995-96 24 Súdwâl Wottested Achlum 1-0 Leofham Valentyn Moroz
1996-97 25 Leofham Leens 3-1 Inerlik Felix Himmelfarb
1997-98 25 Rahu Werdau 3-1 Rahu Raimond Laurits
1998-99 26 Leofham Osgarburgh 2-0 Newick Owen Rees
1999-00 26 Súdwâl Wottested Krikkested 2-0 Leofham Denis Murphy

2000-Present

Season Teams Gold medal icon.svg Federaasjetrofee Winner Silver medal icon.svg Federaasjetrofee finalist Final score Teams with most points Top scorer
2000-01 26 Inerlik Rahu 2-1 Leofham Kuno Schor
2001-02 27 Leofham Noardwâl Wottested 4-3 Rikertsted Sebald Spoelstra
2002-03 27 Rahu Newick 6-1 Sydenham Martin Soosaar
2003-04 27 Súdwâl Wottested Krikkested 4-2 Merrow Lake Stanley Hopkins
2004-05 27 Lahnbeuren Leens 1-0 Noardwâl Wottested Grey Thomson
2005-06 27 Rahu Leofham 4-3 Inerlik Josua Haering
2006-07 27 Leofham Inerlik 5-3 Rahu Eid Van Der Plaats
2007-08 27 Hurdegaryp Werdau 3-1 Leofham Josua Haering
2008-09 28 Paiski Sydenham 2-0 Norton Eric Marsh
2009-10 27 Rahu Noardwâl Wottested 5-1 Rahu Madis Kaljurand
2010-11 27 Leofham Rahu 4-3 Osgarburgh Yves Édouard
2011-12 27 Sachsenscheid Leofham 1-0 Achlum Suwert Nicolai
2012-13 26 Krikkested Rikertsted 2-1 Rahu Urmo Paasuke
2013-14 27 Rahu Súdwâl Wottested 3-0 Súdwâl Wottested Harris Webb
2014-15 25 Rikertsted Merrow Lake 3-2 Osgarburgh Leighton Marshall
2015-16 25 Súdwâl Wottested Sachsenscheid 1-0 Leofham Thiadrik De Jager
2016-17 25 Leofham Osgarburgh 2-1 Paiski Thiadrik De Jager
2017-18 26 Rahu Inerlik 4-0 Leofham Ahti Rummo
2018-19 27 Newick Sydenham 3-1 Rahu Paul Cooper
2019-20 26 Rahu Noardwâl Wottested 1-0 Noardwâl Wottested Aam Buma
2020-21 26 Noardwâl Wottested Leofham 5-4 Rahu Erko Sibul
2021-22 26 Noardwâl Wottested Súdwâl Wottested 3-1 Noardwâl Wottested Mehis Piip

Media coverage

National coverage

Ruuben Viiding being interviewed by ANS in 2012

Broadcasting rights in Alsland are typically exclusively given to ANS and it's provincial partners. From 1939 until 1987 ANS and it's predecessors held a monopoly in Alsland FIHK games but since 1987 other private media companies have been granted broadcasting rights. In 1999, A24 was granted broadcasting rights for it's sports channels but this was revoked after dissatisfactory viewership and a lack of revenue from A24 which declared bankruptcy and closed in 2002.

FIHK is the most viewed sports league within Alsland with millions of viewers each year. Compared to Football FIHK typically averages twice the average viewership at peak times during their seasons. The final of the FIHK is typically one of the most viewed sports events in Alsland. As a consequence of this the final of the FIHK is the only time ads are broadcast on ANS.

Since 2002 FIHK matches can be watched online via ANS' website or the official FIHK website. Online viewership has grown exponentially in recent years as internet usage increases. Typically 10-20% of FIHK viewers watch the league online, during the 2020 Final between Rahu and Noardwâl Wottested roughly 1 million people watched the game online, this figure is the highest online viewership for any sporting event in Alslandic history.

Affiliated leagues

Lauren Barrett (left) during the FFIHK finals between Osgarburgh and Rahu in 2018

The FIHK is affiliated with 3 other leagues that operate within Alsland. The Super Ice Hockey League (SIHK) is the second division league within Alslandic Ice Hockey. SIHK remains popular at local levels but games between teams rarely gain as much coverage as their counterparts in the FIHK. There are a total of 35 teams within the SIHK. The most championships won by a team was 8 for Osgarburgh-Redwike before it was promoted to the FIHK in 2013. The Women's Federal Ice Hockey League (FFIHK) is the third most watched domestic sport in Alsland after mens Ice Hockey and football. The FFIHK was founded in 2004, originally the league struggled with viewership but has seen a rise in viewers and spectators since 2013.

The Under-18 Federal Ice Hockey League (Û-18 FIHK) was also founded in 2004 as a federal league between secondary school and local youth ice hockey teams in Alsland. Û-18 FIHK has the most teams out of any league with over 200 teams competing each year. It is commonly used by FIHK teams to scout out future talent. Since 2014 the league has been broadcast on television and online but viewership is low compared to the FFIHK and FIHK. Û-18 FIHK is sponsored by the Alslandic Government as a means to promote physical activity among Alsland's youth population.

Popularity

The FIHK is the most popular sporting league within Alsland. It's popularity is highest in the South-East and metropolitan areas whilst it diminishes particularly in provinces such as Middewald and Zittau. According to a survey undertaken in 2007 the FIHK is most popular among educated and middle class and working class sports fans. The FIHK is also popular among families leading to the term 'Iishockeypakket' to describe families at FIHK games. Viewership of the FIHK typically peaks during Finals, New Year's day games and the all-star games which is held at the mid-point of the FIHK season and features the best ranked players facing off against each other. The FIHK finals is the most viewed annual sporting event in Alsland typically drawing millions of viewers via television and online.