Ireland is to have a full national Hockey League for the first time after an EGM vote at the weekend that saw an overwhelming majority of 87% vote for its introduction.
The change will apply to both the men’s and women’s game with ten teams making up the new club elite level.
The men’s league will comprise the top four teams from this season’s final full provincial leagues in Leinster and Ulster as well as the Munster Champions and one wild card entry.
The women’s league will have four from Leinster, three from Ulster, two from Munster and one from Connacht.
At the end of the season the tenth place team will be relegated back to their provincial league while the ninth placed will face a play off challenge from within an eight team qualifier system drawn from across the provincial leagues.
The reasons for introducing the change are to bring Ireland into line with every other European playing nation, to avoid potential fixture congestion with international games and to attract new commercial partnerships.
In England both the equivalent leagues are sponsored by companies in the financial services sector with Investec and Now: Pensions taking title sponsorship of the two national leagues.
Irish Hockey’s main sponsorship is with Electric Ireland who have been long time partners of the National women’s team.
