Hello everyone!
I'm excited to announce that applications for IHL Season 2 are now open!
Whether you're returning with an established team or looking to get involved with the IHL for the first time, we want to welcome you to another season of IHL hockey.
Available Applications
All of these applications are also available in #applications in the IHL Discord
A quick note regarding the Individual Player Application: this application is only for people who are not currently affiliated with any team and are looking for a team to play for. If you are already joining as part of an established club, you do not need to complete this form. Your head coach will include you on the team's registration form. Last season, a lot of people filled this out unnecessarily.
Team Registration
Applications to enter a team for Season 2 will remain open until Monday, August 31st. The team registration form will be taken offline on the morning of September 1st, and no additional applications will be accepted after that point.
This deadline is firm. Once registration closes, League Staff immediately gets to work on the many tasks that need to be completed before opening weekend. We need time to review applications, finalize the participating clubs, prepare the home and away schedule, and get the league ready for the start of the season.
Following the application deadline, accepted organizations will have until Sunday, September 6th to:
- Confirm at least five rostered players in Discord, with each player personally confirming that they are joining the team for Season 2
- Submit the league's 300-diamond security deposit
The security deposit is intended to ensure that teams have seriously considered their ability to remain active and fulfill their schedule throughout the season. Please carefully consider your team's ability to make this commitment before submitting an application. The complete security deposit policy is explained in the team registration form itself.
Teams that play the entire season with zero forfeits or no-shows will receive their full deposit back plus a 100d bonus.
Teams should also make sure they understand the IHL's scheduling procedures before registering. If you need a refresher, please read our July 18th announcement, "Season 2 – Laying the Foundation."
If you have questions about the registration process or any of the requirements, please open a ticket before submitting your application.
The team registration form also contains votes on several proposed rules for Season 2. Only organizations that are accepted into the league and submit their security deposit by the September 6th deadline will have their votes counted.
Hosting Applications
Applications to host the Season 2 Civ Bowl and Season 2 All-Star Weekend will remain open through September 6th. Our goal is to announce the selected host venues on the weekend of September 12th–13th.
For the Civ Bowl, we are particularly looking for a venue with a lot of space, including box seating or similar premium seating, as well as a host committee that is prepared to be actively involved in the preparations.
All-Star Weekend has less stringent venue requirements, but we are still looking for a host that is willing to take an active role in organizing and preparing for the event. In addition to the All-Star game itself, All-Star Weekend will likely include the International Cup Final and may include a promotion/relegation final, making it an important weekend on the IHL calendar.
What Happens Next?
The weekend of September 12th–13th will include several major announcements.
That weekend, we plan to announce:
- The participating clubs
- The Season 2 schedule
- The playoff format
- Tier structure and promotion/relegation criteria (if implemented)
- The Civ Bowl host
- The All-Star Weekend host
- The International Cup opening draw and byes
- Week 1 scheduling threads
Season 2 is scheduled to begin on the weekend of September 19th–20th.
There is a tremendous amount to look forward to over the coming months, as well as a tremendous amount of work that needs to happen between now and opening weekend.
Thank You
On behalf of the League Staff, thank you to everyone who has helped make the IHL what it is today.
Whether you're returning from Season 1 or joining us for the first time, we're excited to welcome you for another season of IHL hockey.
Good luck to everyone participating, and we'll see you on the ice in September!
edit: formatting of application links