The Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) is Australia's top-level ice hockey league. It is sanctioned by Ice Hockey Australia (a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation) and it is run by its own board of directors. AIHL players are semi-professional. Typically this means that players are not paid to play in the AIHL, but receive other benefits such as the use of a car, accommodation, flights/travel within Australia, and other benefits. Often these benefits are supplied or funded by sponsors and vary from team to team. The AIHL has attracted players up to and including NHL players. AIHL games are shorter than typical hockey games, consisting of two 15-minute periods and a 20-minute 3rd, instead of three 20-minute periods that are usually played under normal North American and IIHF