Asvö Gladiators will be a new SELAF team, it was decided in a league meeting in Zagreb. The meeting that was hosted by Gabriel Dielacher, a member of the SELAF’s Governing Body and sponsors representative, was dedicated to the next SELAF season and league development in the future. Gladiators’ representatives Paul Edelsbrunner and Andreas Mayer confirmed that the team that also plays Austrian Division I will take part in SELAF next year. They will replace the Legionaries from Mitrovica, last placed team from the previous season.
“We are happy to be the first Austrian team participating in the SELAF league.
As we`ve seen, everybody seems very motivated, very friendly and enthusiastic”, said Andreas Mayer of the Asvö Gladiators.
He added that Gladiators are expecting a very interesting season.
“We expect to reach the playoffs, at least, to establish ourselves as a factor in the SELAF league”.
The final decision on participation of the Budapest Wolves was not made. Talks about the Hungarian team joining for the 2007 or 2008 season will continue this month, with everything being known no later than the 22nd of December. Their participation for next year is expected.
Besides them, three more European clubs have shown interest for joining SELAF. There were also discussions on admission of Serbia’s champion in the League in the future.
Gladiators’ entry and likely entry of Wolves will cause changes in the competition format. Two conferences will be formed, West and East, where East will be made of Serbian teams and West of Silverhawks, Gladiators and Wolves. Every team will play a conference rival twice and also one game against teams from the other conference, making the total of games played per team seven without playoffs. Two teams from the top of the standings from each conference would qualify for the playoffs, with the winners playing in the final set for the 20th of October.
The league has also made some changes in its regulations.
“Further League expansion in the region stipulated stricter criteria for participation. Game duration will be increased to 12 minutes per quarter; team roster can have up to 53 players with a right to change 5 players during the season, and an injured list was introduced; there is no longer a rule for a minimal number of players that have to be registered for playing in a game, etc.”, said Commissioner Igor Gajić.