VARSITY
Wear your colours!
The biggest game of the university ice hockey season.
Varsity is the stage where the best of the Metros compete
in front of huge crowds to be crowned champions.
Over the years, Varsity has had many different forms. The Manchester Metros currently travel to compete against the University of Birmingham Lions in the inter-club 'IceBull Varsity' where the series is 1-2.
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In the past, the 'War of the Roses Varsity' saw the Metros clash against their main BUIHA rivals, the University of Leeds Gryphons. The Metros went undefeated in this series, winning the trophy in 2018 and 2019 in front of home crowd of 300+ as well as in 2020 and 2022 to silence a large Leeds crowd.
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Varsity is played in an intra-club form which first saw the University of Manchester face off against the Manchester Metropolitan University in 2012 and 2013 where the University of Manchester won both matches. The series made a return on March 22nd 2025 when the two universities went head to head in front of 550 spectators for the first
time in over a decade - whilst not yet officially a part of the newly founded
Manchester Varsity program, the 'Battle of Oxford Road' is the catalyst for a
new era of student ice hockey in Manchester.​​​
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VARSITY CHAMPIONS
University of Manchester VS Manchester Metropolitan University
2012 Champions - UoM
2013 Champions - UoM
2025 Battle of Oxford Road Champions - UoM
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War of the Roses - Manchester VS Leeds
2018 Champions - Manchester
2019 Champions - Manchester
2020 Champions - Manchester
2022 Champions - Manchester
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IceBull Invitational - Manchester VS Birmingham
2022 Champions - Birmingham
2024 Champions - Manchester
2025 Champions - Birmingham
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VARSITY SPONSORSHIP
Varsity is growing every single year and your business can be a part of it!
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The Battle of Oxford Road Varsity Ice Hockey match is now the largest competitive student sporting fixture between The University of Manchester and The Manchester Metropolitan University, with potential to grow even further and become one of the biggest university events across the entire United Kingdom.
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We offer a range of sponsorship packages that allow your brand to be in the centre of it all, no matter your budget.
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Check out our packages by pressing here!
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Ready to sponsor or can't find exactly what you're looking for?
Reach out to us for more information!
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Email: President@MetrosIHC.co.uk
Instagram: @MancMetros
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PACKAGES TBC FOR 2026 - ABOVE DOCUMENT IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE MAY OFFER