The 1976–77 IHL season was the 32nd season of the International Hockey League (IHL), a North American minor professional league. Nine teams participated in the regular season, and the Saginaw Gears won the Turner Cup.

Inquiry into professional sports

IHL commissioner Bill Beagan testified at the July 1976

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

inquiry into professional sports, which investigated

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, the effect of

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, finances of leagues and their franchises, and violence in sport. He stated that IHL players were not considered professionals despite receiving some compensation, and were classified as amateurs by the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States (AHAUS).''Inquiry Into Professional Sports (1976)'', p. 329 He testified that the IHL was the largest financial contributor to AHAUS at the time, and had an agreement with the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

(NHL) to develop on-ice officials and players, but the

World Hockey Association The World Hockey Association () was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972–73 WHA season, 1972 to 1978–79 WHA season, 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (N ...

(WHA) showed no interested in negotiating any agreement. Beagan felt that the NHL was no longer able to contribute much towards amateur programs in the United States or Canada due to competition from the WHA, which undermined the IHL.''Inquiry Into Professional Sports (1976)'', p. 330 He stated the league faced challenges to maintain quality due to changes to immigration laws which deterred participation by players and referees who were Canadian.

Regular season

Turner Cup-Playoffs

References

General * Specific

External links

Season 1976/77
on hockeydb.com {{DEFAULTSORT:1976-77 IHL season IHL International Hockey League (1945–2001) seasons