| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1982 |
| Ceased | 1996 |
| No. of teams | 12 (Premier Division) |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Last champion(s) | Sheffield Steelers |
| TV partner(s) | BBC |
The British League was the top-flight ice hockey league in the United Kingdom from 1982 until 1996,[1] when it was replaced by the Ice Hockey Superleague and the British National League. Note that the league never had 'hockey' in its title. 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 and NE England.
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 was originally split into three regional sections and combined as the Premier Division in 1983. Divisions One and Two were also both formed in 1982, there was also a short-lived Division Three. Division Two was reformed as the English League in 1987. 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.