Sport | Ice hockey |
---|---|
Founded | 1945 |
Ceased | 2015 |
Continent | Netherlands |
The Eredivisie ("Honour Division") was, during its existence, the only professional ice hockey league in the Netherlands and the highest level of competition organized by the Nederlandse IJshockey Bond (NIJB; English: "Dutch Ice Hockey Federation").[1][2] Formed in 1945 and playing continuously since 1964, the league mainly featured Dutch teams, although in some seasons certain Belgian teams competed. The league featured a mix of Dutch, European and overseas players. The winner of the Eredivisie was crowned the Dutch National Champion and represented the Netherlands in the IIHF Continental Cup. In 2015, with most of its teams facing financial problems and its top team, Tilburg Trappers, joining the German Oberliga, the Eredivise was suspended with the remaining teams joining the BeNe League.
From 2015, the Eerste Divisie became the highest league organised by the NIJB, as a second tier below the BeNe League (now CEHL). Since 2020 this second tier league is called Eredivisie.