steeltalk.co.uk

How long do people think this season will run for? Televised pictures of our arena should shamefully poor observance of mask wearing. Is mask wearing going to be enough to keep omicron at bay with the crowd so closely packed and all shouting and singing?

Empty arenas or more socially distanced arenas don’t seem to offer a feasible business model.

Worrying!

It certainly is a worrying time for all sports especially indoor ones.

Many clubs are coming up their biggest pay days with the Christmas and New Year period and there's a couple of areas of concern.

1. Government advice- currently it's wear masks and prove negative test or jab status when entering the arena. Wouldn't surprise me if this changes to something more severe.

2. Players testing positive for the Omicron variant. We are seeing Premier League fixtures cancelled for this very reason, with probably 16,000+ people expected for the Boxing Day and New Year's games any postponement(s) would be a huge financial loss.

Whilst I don't know, I would hope there is regular testing in the EIHL. The old cynic in me would ask how transparent the different clubs are with the results?

Worrying times if I was an owner that is for sure.



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And as if by magic, just after I posted the above I looked on the EIHL website and we have our first postponement:

https://www.eliteleague.co.uk/article/1 ... -postponed

Let’s hope it’s not on the panthers side or our Christmas programme has gone for a burton

I think its all unknown at the moment. Yes Omicron is spreading fast but we're not seeing a surge of patients admitted to hospitals (yet). If that happens then yes, its goodnight vienna.
For the time being I'll stay cautiously optimistic.
Everything I've heard so far in the news suggests this is a mild variant though so hopefully it doesn't bring the recovery to a grinding halt. Plus the boosters should ensure we can "carry on regardless".

And all those who chose to ignore the requests to wear masks can be safe in the knowledge that they helped close the sport down again. Well played folks.

Statement regarding the suspension of birthday packages, sponsors lounge etc.

https://sheffieldsteelers.co.uk/steeler ... 8goV7ppgp8


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Makes sense to me.

Fans have a responsibility here also i.e. stopping hanging round the entrance ways before and after the games. The less contact with players the better.



https://sheffieldsteelers.co.uk/steeler ... club/?s=09

Steelers statement on the ongoing Covid issues affecting the club.

After having no hockey to enjoy last year all ten clubs in the EIHL are grateful just to be playing at the present time and have all taken precautions since the start of the year.

We ensured that all of our players and staff were double jabbed before arriving in the UK and as players become eligible for their booster jabs these will also be taken.

At last weekend’s game against Coventry we asked that all fans wore masks and were grateful for those who accepted these instructions. This will be an ongoing requirement for Steelers games in the near future and these rules will be enforced by those at the Arena.

We inside the club have had to look at all areas of our business to see where further improvements can be made to enhance the safety of players, fans and staff and have today taken the following steps that we trust you will understand.

For the foreseeable future we will be closing the hockey locker corridor to all non-essential personnel. This will mean the closure of the Sponsors’ Lounge opposite the dressing rooms. In turn, this will mean that all birthday packages and similar sponsorship packages will no longer take place.

The Steelers will contact individually all supporters who have booked these packages and offer various other alternatives in return. Please be patient for the next few days whilst we contact you ahead of next Wednesday’s home game against Glasgow.

Club owner Tony Smith said “It is with great regret that we have had to take these steps today though common sense has to prevail and the safety of all has to take priority.

“I will personally oversee that everyone affected by this decision will be contacted and be fully satisfied with the outcome. It is the last thing we want to do, especially at this time of the year but I don’t think we had any other options as we try and ensure that players are distanced from large crowds of people and that games can still be played

“Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to seeing you all (masked where possible) shortly at the arena”

Cardiff/Dundee 2nd leg just been called off.