2015–16 Bracknell Bees season
During the 2015-16 season, the Bracknell Bees participated in the semi-professional English Premier Ice Hockey League.
Season 2015-16 | |
---|---|
League | EPIHL |
Head Coach | Lukas Smital |
Home Ice Rink | John Nike Leisuresport Complex |
League position | 10th (of 10) |
Premier Cup | Group Stage |
Play-Offs | DNQ |
Due to an issue with the ice at the John Nike Leisure Centre the home game against Peterborough Phantoms on Saturday 31 October 2015 was postponed. It was re-scheduled for Thursday 26 November 2015 with a 7:45pm faceoff. The club addressed the issue on the official website stating "While a mid-week game is not an ideal option for either team or the fans, this date is unfortunately the only viable date available for both teams and the rink."
Towards the end of November the club released a statement regarding speculation over the clubs short, medium and long term viability. The club revealed that the season's finances have been severely affected by a number of factors including the fact that season ticket sales were down 20% on the previous season. The club also listed the fact that the first temporary closure of the ice rink due to plant failure at the beginning of the season also had a negative affect, with the pre-season games being played at an alternative venue, the projected loss of expected match night ticket sales and match night fund raising came to around £8,000.
The incorrectly manufactured shirts supplied for the season took a long time to resolve and hampered sales of replica shirts. The second temporary closure of the ice rink also meant a loss of incoming cash. Between 24 October and 15 November, the club received £441 in match night ticket sales and £800 in match night fund raising. During this period the salary and rink rental costs alone amount to over £28,000. The ice contract in place requires an upfront payment at the start of the season equivalent to four weeks with the remaining payments being spread across the remainder of the season with payments ending at the end of February 2016.
In the statement the club also pointed out that the fixture scheduling sees a third of the season's home games being played in the last seven weeks of the season. Due to all the aforementioned issues the club had encountered severe difficulty in meeting its weekly and monthly salary obligation in October and admitted that it was likely they'd struggle to meeting the salary obligations in line with agreed payment dates for November and December. The club finished the press release saying "The challenges we are faced with this season are challenging but not insurmountable. We remain with the objective of taking this club into the Elite League where it rightfully belongs"
The club had further financial problems which led to an away game at the Hull Pirates on Friday 4 March 2016 to be postponed. The club blamed it on "complications with travel arrangements". A fans forum was held on Monday 7 March at 7.30pm in Honies Restaurant at The Hive where chairman Andrew Cross and general manager Ben Beeching who operate under the name of Precision Sports Marketing (PSM), spoke about the short and long-term future of the club. They discussed plans to set the club up as a charity model which would allow the ownership of the club to be expanded. They also revealed the club was £74,000 short of their top-end expectations for the season and confirmed that the club owed at least £9,000 in unpaid wages.
The club appealed to fans for assistance in raising funds to facilitate the team's coach travel for the final game of the season against the Manchester Phoenix. The required total of £1,295 was met by donations and the Bees ended up with a 6-2 road win to end the campaign.
Ticketing
Individual Tickets | Price |
---|---|
Adult ticket (over 21yrs old) | £13.50 |
Concession ticket (OAP / Over 60’s) | £10.00 |
Disabled Supporters ticket (including a Free helper ticket) | £10.00 |
Young Adults (aged 17–21) and Students (with a valid NUS card) | £8.00 |
Junior (3yrs – 16yrs) | £5.00 |
Junior (under 3yrs) | Free |
Family ticket (2 adults and 1 junior) | £27.00 |
Family ticket (2 adults and 1 young adult/student) | £30.00 |
Family ticket (2 adults and 2 juniors) | £32.00 |
Family ticket (2 adults and 2 young adults/students) | £38.00 |
Family ticket (1 adult and 2 juniors) | £21.00 |
Family ticket (1 adult and 2 young adults/students) | £27.00 |
Standings
English Premier League
Team | Pld. | W | OL | L | GF | GA | Pts. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Basingstoke Bison ** | 54 | 40 | 2 | 12 | 207 | 122 | 82 |
Peterborough Phantoms * | 54 | 35 | 8 | 11 | 215 | 140 | 78 |
Guildford Flames * | 54 | 34 | 5 | 15 | 204 | 170 | 73 |
Telford Tigers * | 54 | 34 | 1 | 19 | 221 | 152 | 69 |
Milton Keynes Lightning * | 54 | 32 | 5 | 17 | 197 | 150 | 69 |
Swindon Wildcats * | 54 | 30 | 5 | 19 | 195 | 195 | 65 |
Sheffield Steeldogs * | 54 | 24 | 5 | 25 | 197 | 233 | 53 |
Manchester Phoenix * | 54 | 20 | 8 | 26 | 170 | 216 | 48 |
Hull Pirates | 54 | 11 | 5 | 38 | 134 | 277 | 27 |
Bracknell Bees | 54 | 10 | 4 | 40 | 153 | 238 | 24 |
[**] EPIHL League Champions. [*] Secured play-off berth
Schedule and results
Preseason
The pre-season schedule would start with a series against the reigning League & Cup champions, the Telford Tigers. The Bees hosted the Tigers at The Hive on Saturday 29 August 2015, before making the trip north for the second game of the series on Sunday 30 August 2015.
The Bracknell Bees pre-season would also see the continuation of the traditional M4 Derby Classic series match-ups against the Swindon Wildcats. The Bees travelled to face the Wildcats at the Link Centre on Saturday 5 September 2015 (face off 5.45pm) before hosting Swindon back at The Hive on Sunday 6 September 2015 (face off 6pm) in the second game of the two match series.
Date | Opponent | Venue | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Saturday 29 August 2015 | Telford Tigers | Home | Lost 4-2 |
Sunday 30 August 2015 | Telford Tigers | Away | Lost 4-1 |
Saturday 5 September 2015 | Swindon Wildcats | Away | Lost 12-2 |
Sunday 6 September 2014 | Swindon Wildcats | Home | Lost 4-3 |
Regular season
Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Competition | Goalscorers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday 12 September 2015 | Milton Keynes Lightning | Away | Lost 6-3 | - | League/Cup | Milan Kostourek (2), Frantisek Bakrlik |
Sunday 13 September 2015 | Sheffield Steeldogs | Home | Won 5-2 | - | League/Cup | Milan Kostourek (2), Frantisek Bakrlik, Lukas Smital, Callum Fowler |
Saturday 19 September 2015 | Swindon Wildcats | Away | Lost 8-4 | - | League/Cup | Frantisek Bakrlik (2), Lukas Smital, Milan Kostourek |
Sunday 20 September 2015 | Hull Pirates | Home | Won 10-3 | - | League/Cup | Frantisek Bakrlik (3), Vanya Antonov (2), Matt Towalski (2), Callum Fowler, Matt Foord, Tom Beesley |
Saturday 26 September 2015 | Peterborough Phantoms | Away | Lost 3-0 | - | League/Cup | - |
Sunday 27 September 2015 | Basingstoke Bison | Home | Won 4-1 | - | League/Cup | Frantisek Bakrlik, Lukas Smital, Milan Kostourek, Matt Towalski |
Saturday 3 October 2015 | Manchester Phoenix | Home | Lost 4-2 | - | League/Cup | Callum Fowler, Josh Smith |
Sunday 4 October 2015 | Telford Tigers | Away | Lost 3-2 | - | League/Cup | Matt Foord, Frantisek Bakrlik |
Saturday 10 October 2015 | Hull Pirates | Away | Win 7-2 | - | League/Cup | Milan Kostourek (2), Vanya Antonov, Scott Spearing, Lukas Smital, Frantisek Bakrlik, Callum Fowler |
Sunday 11 October 2015 | Guildford Flames | Home | Won 4-3 | - | League/Cup | Vanya Antonov (2), Frantisek Bakrlik, Milan Kostourek |
Sunday 18 October 2015 | Milton Keynes Lightning | Home | Lost 3-1 | - | League/Cup | Callum Fowler |
Saturday 24 October 2015 | Telford Tigers | Home | Lost 6-1 | - | League/Cup | Frantisek Bakrlik |
Wednesday 28 October 2015 | Guildford Flames | Away | Lost 3-2 | 2,046 | League/Cup | Callum Fowler, Frantisek Bakrlik |
Sunday 8 November 2015 | Sheffield Steeldogs | Away | Lost 7-3 | - | League/Cup | Frantisek Bakrlik, Josh Smith, Vanya Antonov |
Saturday 14 November 2015 | Basingstoke Bison | Away | Lost 10-2 | - | League/Cup | Scott Spearing, Jan Bendik |
Sunday 15 November 2015 | Milton Keynes Lightning | Home | Won 7-2 | - | League | Milan Kostourek (4), Matt Towalski, Vanya Antonov, Frantisek Bakrlik |
Sunday 22 November 2015 | Swindon Wildcats | Home | Won 4-3 | - | League/Cup | Milan Kostourek (2), Frantisek Bakrlik, Matt Foord |
Thursday 26 November 2015 | Peterborough Phantoms | Home | Lost 3-2 (OT) | - | League/Cup | Carl Thompson, Vanya Antonov |
Saturday 28 November 2015 | Peterborough Phantoms | Away | Lost 5-2 | - | League | Sam Waller, Tom Beesley |
Sunday 29 November 2015 | Sheffield Steeldogs | Home | Lost 4-3 | - | League | Vanya Antonov, Milan Kostourek, Matt Foord |
Saturday 5 December 2015 | Sheffield Steeldogs | Away | Lost 7-3 | - | League | Milan Kostourek (2), Jan Bendik |
Sunday 6 December 2015 | Sheffield Steeldogs | Home | Lost 5-2 | - | League | Lukas Smital, Milan Kostourek |
Saturday 12 December 2015 | Swindon Wildcats | Away | Lost 9-8 (PSO) | - | League | Milan Kostourek (2), Alex Barker (2), Lukas Smital (2), Josh Smith, Carl Thompson |
Sunday 13 December 2015 | Manchester Phoenix | Away | Lost 2-1 | - | League/Cup | Milan Kostourek |
Saturday 19 December 2015 | Telford Tigers | Away | Lost 7-3 | - | League | Lukas Smital (2), Milan Kostourek |
Sunday 20 December 2015 | Basingstoke Bison | Home | Lost 4-0 | - | League | - |
Saturday 26 December 2015 | Guildford Flames | Home | Lost 5-2 | - | League | Vanya Antonov, Milan Kostourek |
Sunday 27 December 2015 | Basingstoke Bison | Away | Lost 3-2 | - | League | Milan Kostourek, Alex Barker |
Monday 28 December 2015 | Swindon Wildcats | Away | Lost 3-2 | - | League | Scott Spearing, Milan Kostourek |
Friday 1 January 2016 | Guildford Flames | Away | Lost 7-3 | 1,943 | League | Carl Thompson, Jan Bendik, Vanya Antonov |
Saturday 2 January 2016 | Hull Pirates | Away | Lost 6-3 | - | League | Milan Kostourek (2), Alex Barker |
Sunday 3 January 2016 | Telford Tigers | Home | Lost 6-4 | - | League | Alex Barker (3), Milan Kostourek |
Saturday 9 January 2016 | Milton Keynes Lightning | Away | Lost 4-1 | - | League | Vanya Antonov |
Sunday 10 January 2016 | Guildford Flames | Home | Lost 2-1 | - | League | Carl Thompson |
Saturday 16 January 2016 | Telford Tigers | Away | Lost 3-1 | - | League | Carl Thompson |
Sunday 17 January 2016 | Hull Pirates | Home | Won 6-3 | - | League | Vanya Antonov (2), Josh Smith, Milan Kostourek, Lewis Turner, Carl Thompson |
Saturday 23 January 2016 | Peterborough Phantoms | Away | Lost 4-1 | - | League | Matt Foord |
Sunday 24 January 2016 | Swindon Wildcats | Home | Lost 7-4 | - | League | James Galazzi (2), Milan Kostourek, Matt Foord |
Saturday 30 January 2016 | Basingstoke Bison | Away | Lost 3-1 | - | League | Scott Spearing |
Sunday 31 January 2016 | Swindon Wildcats | Home | Lost 3-2 | - | League | Carl Thompson, Vanya Antonov |
Saturday 6 February 2016 | Milton Keynes Lightning | Home | Lost 4-2 | - | League | Vanya Antonov, Scott Spearing |
Sunday 7 February 2016 | Manchester Phoenix | Home | Lost 3-2 | - | League | Vanya Antonov, Scott Spearing |
Saturday 13 February 2016 | Peterborough Phantoms | Home | Lost 4-0 | - | League | - |
Sunday 14 February 2016 | Hull Pirates | Home | Won 4-3 | - | League | Scott Spearing (2), James Galazzi, Carl Thompson |
Wednesday 17 February 2016 | Guildford Flames | Away | Lost 4-0 | 2,023 | League | - |
Sunday 21 February 2016 | Basingstoke Bison | Home | Lost 5-3 | - | League | Josh Smith, Vanya Antonov, Carl Graham |
Saturday 27 February 2016 | Manchester Phoenix | Home | Lost 6-2 | - | League | James Galazzi, Alex Barker |
Sunday 28 February 2016 | Manchester Phoenix | Away | Lost 5-1 | - | League | Alex Barker |
Saturday 5 March 2016 | Milton Keynes Lightning | Away | Lost 7-0 | - | League | - |
Sunday 6 March 2016 | Manchester Phoenix | Home | Lost 7-4 | - | League | Carl Thompson, Vanya Antonov, Lukas Smital, Alex Barker |
Friday 11 March 2016 | Hull Pirates | Away | Lost 6-5 (OT) | - | League | Jan Bendik (2), Josh Smith (2), Lukas Smital |
Saturday 12 March 2016 | Sheffield Steeldogs | Away | Lost 4-2 | - | League | Vanya Antonov (2) |
Sunday 13 March 2016 | Peterborough Phantoms | Home | Lost 4-1 | - | League | Carl Thompson |
Saturday 19 March 2016 | Telford Tigers | Home | Lost 6-5 (OT) | - | League | Lukas Smital (2), James Galazzi (2), Vanya Antonov |
Sunday 20 March 2016 | Manchester Phoenix | Away | Won 6-2 | - | League | Vanya Antonov (2), Carl Thompson, Lukas Smital, Matt Foord, James Galazzi |