Sport Ice hockey Ceased 1996 Country United Kingdom | Founded 1980 No. of teams 12 (Premier Division) Last
champion(s) Sheffield Steelers | |
The British Hockey League was the top-flight ice hockey league in the United Kingdom from 1980 until 1996 (with a short break between 1981 and 1982), when it was replaced by the Ice Hockey Superleague and the British National League. The league replaced three regional leagues: the Inter-City League in southern England, the English League North in northern England and the Northern League in Scotland.
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The league was sponsored by Heineken until 1993 and during this period was best known as the Heineken League.
The league changed format several times. The top level Premier Division was formed in 1983, and a second tier Division One was formed in 1986, being split into North and South conferences for the 87/88 and 93/94 seasons. The third tier Division Two was founded in 1987, renamed English Division One the following season and split from the league in 1992 and later dissolved. In 1996 a major reorganization of the league structure led the two remaining divisions to split into different leagues; resulting in the dissolution of the British Hockey League and the creation of the Ice Hockey Superleague to replace the premier division, and the British National League to replace division 1, respectively.
Durham Wasps and Whitley Warriors were the only two teams to consistently feature in the top division of the BHL throughout the duration of the league's history.