Belfast Giants

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Belfast Giants
BelfastGiantsLogo.jpg
City Belfast, Northern Ireland
League Elite Ice Hockey League
Founded 2000
Home arena Odyssey Arena
Owner(s) The Odyssey Trust
Franchise history
2000–present Belfast Giants
Championships
Regular season titles 2001–02, 2005–06, 2011–12, 2013-14
Playoff championships 2003, 2010

main

The Belfast Giants are an ice hockey team from Belfast, Northern Ireland that compete in the Elite Ice Hockey League. Home games are played at the 12,000-capacity Odyssey Arena in Belfast.

Sectarianism had long been seen as a significant problem in some sports in Northern Ireland. When the club was established, the Belfast Giants were keen that the club not attach itself to a particular faith or community, instead wanting to represent Belfast as a whole. A number of policies were subsequently introduced to try to ensure this. Particular clothing (such as association football replica shirts), which might have displayed a person's political or religious affiliation, were banned and flags were not permitted to be brought into the arena. The national anthem of the United Kingdom, traditionally played before games at other arenas in the Elite League, is not played before Giants games. These policies have been successful and the Giants have quickly built a large and enthusiastic fanbase who did not have to fear the sectarianism that marred other sports in Northern Ireland.

Initially members of the now defunct Ice Hockey Superleague, the Giants won the championship in 2001–02 and were play-off champions in 2002–03. With the Superleague's demise, there were concerns that the Giants would not survive because of major financial problems which had developed. Running up debts of £600,000 and facing the threat of liquidation creditors voted to accept 20p in the pound allowing the club to continue. One company was believed to be owed nearly £65,000.[1]

However, with the creation of the new Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) for the 2003–04 season, the Giants survived. The Giants finished 4th in the league's first season, but failed to reach the post-season play-offs..

The Giants finished runners up in the 2004–05 season behind the Coventry Blaze but were winners of the Crossover League Cup, which was played with teams from the BNL.

References

  1. Giants on the rocks, BBC Sport, 22 June 2003. Retrieved 30 June 2012

External links

Preceded by
Sheffield Steelers
Superleague Champions
2001–02
Succeeded by
Sheffield Steelers
Preceded by
Sheffield Steelers
Playoff Champions
2002–03
Succeeded by
Sheffield Steelers
Preceded by
Coventry Blaze
Elite League Champions
2005–06
Succeeded by
Coventry Blaze
Preceded by
Sheffield Steelers
Playoff Champions
2009–10
Succeeded by
Nottingham Panthers
Preceded by
Nottingham Panthers
Elite League Champions
2013–14
Succeeded by
'
Ice hockey in Great Britain
Elite Ice Hockey League (2003-present)

Belfast Giants - Braehead Clan - Cardiff Devils - Coventry Blaze - Dundee Stars - Edinburgh Capitals - Fife Flyers - Manchester Storm - Nottingham Panthers - Sheffield Steelers

English Premier Ice Hockey League (1998-present)

Basingstoke Bison - Bracknell Bees - Guildford Flames - Hull Pirates - Manchester Phoenix - Milton Keynes Lightning - Peterborough Phantoms - Sheffield Steeldogs - Swindon Wildcats - Telford Tigers

National Ice Hockey League (1997-present)

Altrincham Aces - Basingstoke Buffalo - Billingham Stars - Blackburn Eagles - Blackburn Hawks - Bracknell Hornets - Bradford Bulldogs - Bristol Pitbulls - Cardiff Devils 1 - Cardiff Devils 2 - Chelmsford Chieftains - Chelmsford Warriors - Coventry Blaze - Deeside Dragons - Fylde Flyers - Haringey Racers - Hull Jets - Invicta Dynamos - Invicta Mustangs - Lee Valley Lions - London Raiders - Milton Keynes Thunder - Nottingham Lions - Oxford City Stars - Peterborough Islanders - Sheffield Senators - Sheffield Spartans - Slough Jets (NIHL) - Solent Devils - Solihull Barons - Solway Sharks - Streatham Redskins - Swindon Wildcats - Sutton Sting - Telford Tigers (NIHL) - Whitley Warriors - Widnes Wild - Wightlink Raiders - Wightlink Tigers

Scottish National League (2000-present)

Aberdeen Lynx - Belfast Giants (SNL) - Dundee Comets - Dundee Tigers - Edinburgh Capitals (SNL) - Kilmarnock Storm - Kirkcaldy Kestrels - Moray Typhoons - North Ayr Wild - Paisley Pirates - Solway Sharks

Other current competitions

League Championship - Playoff Championship - Challenge Cup - British Universities Ice Hockey Association - Ice Hockey Varsity Match - Women's Premier Ice Hockey League - Scottish Cup - English Premier Ice Hockey Cup

Defunct competitions

Airlie Trophy - Ahearne Cup - Anderson Trophy - Autumn Cup - Association Cup - Bairns Trophy - British Hockey League - British Home Tournaments - British National League (1954–1960) - British National League (1996–2005) - Christmas Cup - Coronation Cup - Coronation Gold Cup - English Club Championship - English League - English League North - English National League - Findus Challenge Cup - Ice Hockey Superleague - Inter-City League - London Cup - Millenium Cup - Mitchell Trophy Northern League (1966-1982) - Northern League (2005–2011) - Planet Ice Challenge League - President's Pucks - Scottish Canada Cup - Scottish Cup (1930s-1950s) - Scottish League Flag Trophy - Scottish National League (1929–1954) - Scottish National League (1981-1982) - Scottish Premier Hockey League - Southern League - Winter Cup

Defunct teams

Amateur Skating Club - Argyll Ice Hockey Club - Ayr Bruins - Ayr Scottish Eagles - Blackpool Seagulls - Brighton Ambassadors - Brighton Ice Hockey Club - Brighton Tigers - Dundee Rockets - Durham Wasps - Earls Court Rangers - Harringay Greyhounds - Harringay Racers - Hull Stingrays - Hull Thunder - Humberside Seahawks - London Canadians - London Lions - London Knights - London Racers - Manchester Rapids - Manchester Storm - Medway Bears - Milton Keynes Kings - Murrayfield Racers - Newcastle Jesters - Newcastle Vipers - Newcastle ENL Vipers - Niagara Ice Hockey Club - Oxford Canadians - Peterborough Pirates - Princes Ice Hockey Club - Richmond Flyers - Richmond Hawks - Royal Engineers Ice Hockey Club - Scottish Eagles - Sheffield Lancers - Sheffield Scimitars - Slough Jets - Southampton Vikings - Sunderland Chiefs - Wembley Lions - Wembley Monarchs

Governing bodies

English Ice Hockey Association - Ice Hockey UK - Scottish Ice Hockey - British Ice Hockey Association (defunct) - National Ice Skating Association (defunct)

Other

British National Team - Women's British National Team - British Junior National Team - British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame - Ice Hockey Journalists UK

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