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{{Infobox Sports league
'''Flag House Courts''' was a [[public housing]] project located in [[Baltimore, Maryland]]. Comprising three 12-story buildings, Flag House was built in 1955. The project had recreational facilities with [[Bingo (US)|bingo]] and dances, a swimming pool, and a basketball court. However, the complex had problems from its opening. Elevators broke down often, trapping riders for hours. Residents were forced to run fans (even during winter) because a faulty heating system made the buildings unbearably hot. In addition, there were the problems of crime and drug dealing. By the late 1960s, gunshots were not uncommon, drunks ran around making a lot of noise, people threw trash out their windows, vacant apartments were turned into drug hangouts, and stairwells became violent crime areas.
| logo = Phl_logo1.jpg
| caption = The logo of the Premier Hockey League
| sport = [[Field Hockey]]
| founded = 2005
| teams = 7<br>[[Hyderabad Sultans]]<br>[[Sher-e-Jalandhar]]<br>[[Maratha Warriors]]<br>[[Bangalore Lions]]<br>[[Chandigarh Dynamos]]<br>[[Chennai Veerans]]<br>[[Orissa Steelers]]
| country = {{IND}}
| champion = [[Bangalore Hi-fliers]]
| most_champs = [[Bangalore Hi-fliers]] (2 titles)
| TV = [[ESPN]]
|website=[http://www.premierhockeyleague.com premierhockeyleague.com]
}}
[[Image:H_S1.jpg|right|frame|Hyderabad Sultans winner of first PHL]]
The '''Premier Hockey League (PHL)''' is a professional league competition for [[field Hockey]] clubs in the top division of the Indian hockey system. There are, at present, seven teams in the PHL. The competition has been played since 2005.


==History==
In 1993, the projects were renovated slightly, but problems continued. They closed in 1998 and 1999 and were imploded in 2001.


==Bibliography==
===Origin===
The tournament was initiated to revive interest in the sport which was losing spectator interest to [[cricket]] in recent times. Hockey is India's National Sport, with the country having won a record eight [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] Gold medals and having lifted the [[Hockey World Cup|World Cup]] once.
*Hayward, Mary Ellen and Charles Belfoure (2001). ''The Baltimore Rowhouse''. Princeton: Princeton Architectural Press.
*O'Donnell, John (1996). "City housing officials pick team to head Flag House Courts project; Complex will be leveled, replaced with 260 units." ''[[Baltimore Sun]]''. June 3.
*Valentine, Paul (1995). "2nd High-Rise to Go." ''[[Washington Post]]''. December 4.


One of the main reasons for the waning popularity of the existing domestic competition was the rise of corporate teams such as Indian Airlines and Punjab & Sind Bank which do not have a steady fan following. PHL is trying to change that by bringing in regional flavor. It fields teams from traditional hockey bastions such as [[Bombay]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[Orissa]], and [[Tamil Nadu]], as well as from other places like [[Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh|Hyderabad]] and [[Bangalore]], where it has got some fan following.
{{coord missing|United States}}



[[Category:Buildings and structures in Baltimore, Maryland]]
==Founding==
[[Category:Public housing in Baltimore]]
The competition was first played in 2005 involving 5 teams. Initiated by Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) with active support from sports channel [[ESPN]] India. First season had two tiers division 1 and division 2 but from 2007 season onwards division 2 was scrapped. Except team winning 2006 division 2 championship rest all teams in division 2 were scrapped.

The 5 inaugural members of the new Premier Hockey League in 2005 were [[Bangalore Hi-Fliers]], [[Chennai Veerans]], [[Hyderabad Sultans]], [[Maratha Warriors]] and [[Sher-e-Jalandhar]].

==Competition==

===Format===
PHL regular season runs between december and january. From inaugural season till last season format has varied regularly. According to last format during the course of regular league season each team plays each other once in a round robin format (21 matches), then the top 4 play 2 semifinals (1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3) followed by a best of three finals for the top 2 teams-a total of 26 matches.
During a PHL match, points that contribute to team standings can be earned in a number of ways:

====A. Result in regulation time====
* 3 points to the winner
* 0 point to the loser

====B. Result after extra time====
* 2 points to the winner
* 1 point to the loser

In case of no winner has been decided after completion of a match and two periods of extra time, the winner of the match will be determined by a shoot-out competition.

==New Features==
[[Image:Banglore lions.jpg|thumb|200px|Bangalore Lions after winning PHL in 2006]]
The fundamental aberration from the format of normal hockey games is the number of sessions. A normal 70 minute hockey game includes two sessions, each of 35 minutes each. The PHL has four sessions each of 17.5 minutes. This format is tailor made to include more advertising time in order to generate funds. Teams are allowed to take time-outs to chalk out new strategies during the course of the game.

If the match is deadlocked after full-time, the number of players of each team is gradually reduced till a result is obtained. A win within full-time fetches three points, whereas a win after full-time fetches two points to the winning team and one to the losing team. Each team is also allowed to field up to five international players.

In addition, another feature of the PHL for the year 2007, has been the innovative penalty shootout competition, modelled similar to the [[Major League Soccer]] penalty shootout. Each team will have five penalty shoot outs each where 5 players will play a one on one with the goal keeper of the opponent team. Each player will start with the ball on the 25 yard line and when the umpire blows the whistle player will have maximum of 8 secs to score a goal with only the goal keeper defending the goal. The player can take as many shots possible within the stipulated 8 secs.

Another interesting feature of PHL is timeouts, similar to basketball and volleyball. Each team will be allowed 2 x 120 second timeouts per team in regulation time. These timeouts will be mandatory and has to be taken once in each half of play. There will be a warning from the bench 5 minutes before the end of the second/fourth quarter if the team has still not availed of the mandatory timeout. 2 minutes from the end of the second/fourth quarter the timeout will be imposed by the technical bench if the team has still not availed of it.

In addition, each team will also be allowed 1 x 2 minute timeout which is not mandatory and could be taken at any point in time during the regulation time. Each team will also be allowed 1 x 2 minute timeouts which are non mandatory and can be taken at any point in time during the extra time period.

==Players==
A team shall consist of maximum of 18 (eighteen) players to be registered with PHDPL.
Out of the above 18, maximum of 3 players can be of foreign origin. At any given point of time minimum 2 players of foreign origin shall be within the field of play during the course of a game. All eighteen players in a team have to be registered with the PHDPL and need to submit their identity cards before the start of the league qualifying for playing in a team. All Indian players currently employed have to be taken on lien for the duration of the league and then be registered with PHDPL. All the foreign players must obtain international transfer certificates from their respective countries and or clubs before signing up with the team and PHDPL.

===International Players===
{{see also|List of foreign Premier Hockey League players}}

There are a number of players from countries other than India, who have been contracted to play in the league.

==Results==
===By Year===
* 2005 [[Hyderabad Sultans]]
* 2006 [[Bangalore Lions]] play off winner
** [[Chandigarh Dynamos]] finished 1st in the league table.
* 2007 [[Orissa Steelers]] play off winner
** [[Orissa Steelers]] also finished 1st in the league table.
* 2008 [[Bangalore Hi-fliers]] play off winner
** [[Chandigarh Dynamos]] finished 1st in the league table.

==Likely impact==
[[Image:Orissa steelers.jpg|thumb|200px|Orissa Steelers after winning PHL in 2007]]
While most experts agree that it is too early to predict the fallout of the PHL, many in the Indian Hockey circles are delighted to have hockey glamorised with the intention of reviving the flagging sport. Experts accuse the [[Indian Hockey Federation]] of being to lethargic and bureaucratic in popularising the sport. Meanwhile the [[International Hockey Federation]] is keenly studying the format.{{Fact|date=August 2008}}

Critics argue that traditional hockey bastions such as [[Kodagu]] (Coorg), [[Jharkhand]], [[Orissa]] and parts of Punjab have been ignored, but organisers say that in due course of time more teams may be included.{{Fact|date=August 2008}}

==See also==
* [[Hockey in India]]
* [[Indian Premier League]], professional cricket leagues in India

== External links ==
* [http://www.premierhockeyleague.com/phl/phl_index.html Official Website]
* [http://www.indianhockey.com/Tournaments/PremierHockeyLeague/PHL200708/tabid/85/language/en-US/Default.aspx PHL 2007-08]

{{Premier Hockey League}}

[[Category:Field hockey in India]]
[[Category:Professional sports leagues]]
[[Category:Field hockey competitions]]

[[mr:प्रीमियर हॉकी लीग]]

Revision as of 22:52, 13 October 2008

Premier Hockey League
The logo of the Premier Hockey League
SportField Hockey
Founded2005
No. of teams7
Hyderabad Sultans
Sher-e-Jalandhar
Maratha Warriors
Bangalore Lions
Chandigarh Dynamos
Chennai Veerans
Orissa Steelers
Country India
Most recent
champion(s)
Bangalore Hi-fliers
Most titlesBangalore Hi-fliers (2 titles)
TV partner(s)ESPN
Official websitepremierhockeyleague.com
File:H S1.jpg
Hyderabad Sultans winner of first PHL

The Premier Hockey League (PHL) is a professional league competition for field Hockey clubs in the top division of the Indian hockey system. There are, at present, seven teams in the PHL. The competition has been played since 2005.

History

Origin

The tournament was initiated to revive interest in the sport which was losing spectator interest to cricket in recent times. Hockey is India's National Sport, with the country having won a record eight Olympic Gold medals and having lifted the World Cup once.

One of the main reasons for the waning popularity of the existing domestic competition was the rise of corporate teams such as Indian Airlines and Punjab & Sind Bank which do not have a steady fan following. PHL is trying to change that by bringing in regional flavor. It fields teams from traditional hockey bastions such as Bombay, Punjab, Orissa, and Tamil Nadu, as well as from other places like Hyderabad and Bangalore, where it has got some fan following.


Founding

The competition was first played in 2005 involving 5 teams. Initiated by Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) with active support from sports channel ESPN India. First season had two tiers division 1 and division 2 but from 2007 season onwards division 2 was scrapped. Except team winning 2006 division 2 championship rest all teams in division 2 were scrapped.

The 5 inaugural members of the new Premier Hockey League in 2005 were Bangalore Hi-Fliers, Chennai Veerans, Hyderabad Sultans, Maratha Warriors and Sher-e-Jalandhar.

Competition

Format

PHL regular season runs between december and january. From inaugural season till last season format has varied regularly. According to last format during the course of regular league season each team plays each other once in a round robin format (21 matches), then the top 4 play 2 semifinals (1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3) followed by a best of three finals for the top 2 teams-a total of 26 matches. During a PHL match, points that contribute to team standings can be earned in a number of ways:

A. Result in regulation time

  • 3 points to the winner
  • 0 point to the loser

B. Result after extra time

  • 2 points to the winner
  • 1 point to the loser

In case of no winner has been decided after completion of a match and two periods of extra time, the winner of the match will be determined by a shoot-out competition.

New Features

Bangalore Lions after winning PHL in 2006

The fundamental aberration from the format of normal hockey games is the number of sessions. A normal 70 minute hockey game includes two sessions, each of 35 minutes each. The PHL has four sessions each of 17.5 minutes. This format is tailor made to include more advertising time in order to generate funds. Teams are allowed to take time-outs to chalk out new strategies during the course of the game.

If the match is deadlocked after full-time, the number of players of each team is gradually reduced till a result is obtained. A win within full-time fetches three points, whereas a win after full-time fetches two points to the winning team and one to the losing team. Each team is also allowed to field up to five international players.

In addition, another feature of the PHL for the year 2007, has been the innovative penalty shootout competition, modelled similar to the Major League Soccer penalty shootout. Each team will have five penalty shoot outs each where 5 players will play a one on one with the goal keeper of the opponent team. Each player will start with the ball on the 25 yard line and when the umpire blows the whistle player will have maximum of 8 secs to score a goal with only the goal keeper defending the goal. The player can take as many shots possible within the stipulated 8 secs.

Another interesting feature of PHL is timeouts, similar to basketball and volleyball. Each team will be allowed 2 x 120 second timeouts per team in regulation time. These timeouts will be mandatory and has to be taken once in each half of play. There will be a warning from the bench 5 minutes before the end of the second/fourth quarter if the team has still not availed of the mandatory timeout. 2 minutes from the end of the second/fourth quarter the timeout will be imposed by the technical bench if the team has still not availed of it.

In addition, each team will also be allowed 1 x 2 minute timeout which is not mandatory and could be taken at any point in time during the regulation time. Each team will also be allowed 1 x 2 minute timeouts which are non mandatory and can be taken at any point in time during the extra time period.

Players

A team shall consist of maximum of 18 (eighteen) players to be registered with PHDPL. Out of the above 18, maximum of 3 players can be of foreign origin. At any given point of time minimum 2 players of foreign origin shall be within the field of play during the course of a game. All eighteen players in a team have to be registered with the PHDPL and need to submit their identity cards before the start of the league qualifying for playing in a team. All Indian players currently employed have to be taken on lien for the duration of the league and then be registered with PHDPL. All the foreign players must obtain international transfer certificates from their respective countries and or clubs before signing up with the team and PHDPL.

International Players

There are a number of players from countries other than India, who have been contracted to play in the league.

Results

By Year

Likely impact

File:Orissa steelers.jpg
Orissa Steelers after winning PHL in 2007

While most experts agree that it is too early to predict the fallout of the PHL, many in the Indian Hockey circles are delighted to have hockey glamorised with the intention of reviving the flagging sport. Experts accuse the Indian Hockey Federation of being to lethargic and bureaucratic in popularising the sport. Meanwhile the International Hockey Federation is keenly studying the format.[citation needed]

Critics argue that traditional hockey bastions such as Kodagu (Coorg), Jharkhand, Orissa and parts of Punjab have been ignored, but organisers say that in due course of time more teams may be included.[citation needed]

See also

External links