Intersport Sponsors European Hockey League

 

 

Infront signed the international sports retailer in an agreement that runs for three years, until the end of the 2016/17 season. With more than 5,500 affiliated stores in 44 countries and retail sales of EUR 10.3 billion in 2013, Intersport is the market leader in the sporting goods retail market and has a number of key sponsorship engagements in place supporting its sales strategy across the different product categories.

 

 

The Official Partnership involvement of Intersport will be implemented across the entire competition from the first game through to the final. The package includes perimeter board advertising across all 149 games in TV camera view and full integration across all communication and promotional materials – including the website and streaming platform www.championshockeyleague.net. In addition, Intersport will be featured through promotional spots on video cubes within major arenas and receive a hospitality contingent across all stages of the competition. It also receives the right to use the Champions Hockey League logo for its communication efforts and at point of sale.

 

“As a partner of several of the biggest sports events and as the world’s largest sports retailer Intersport wanted to be the first on board when one of the most promising international sports products is launched,” Franz Julen, CEO of Intersport International Corporation (IIC), said: . The Champions Hockey League guarantees a high level of sporting competition and fan emotion when international teams face one another. Thanks to the centralised sponsorship platform introduced by Infront, we are now able to associate the Intersport brand alongside the top European ice hockey clubs and their fans in key Intersport markets like Austria, Finland, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland.”

 

 

The Champions Hockey League provides season-long pan-European exposure combined with regional activation options.

 

“Like no other marketing platform in club ice-hockey,” said Infront’s Executive Director Winter Sports Bruno Marty. “It makes a perfect fit for Intersport as a Pan-European retailer and the company is ideally positioned to exploit this highly engaging and multi-national sports platform – offering wide reach into all major winter sports markets in a highly effective way.”

 

The Champions Hockey League is fully owned and operated by the European Ice Hockey Club Competition Ltd. (EICC) which includes, as its shareholders, 26 Founding Clubs from six national Founding Leagues and the International Ice Hockey Federation. The inaugural season will see 40 clubs from the Founding National Leagues: Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland take part, including the respective national champions and regular season winners. Also, champions from certain Challenge Leagues will be invited as Wild Cards. The Group Stage runs from August to October with the Playoffs taking place from November 2014 to February 2015.

 

Led by President & CEO Philippe Blatter, Infront covers all aspects of successful sporting events – including distribution of media rights, sponsorship, media production and event operation. Infront enjoys long-lasting partnerships with 120 rights-holders and hundreds of sponsors and media companies, particularly in winter sport and soccer. Headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, Infront has a team of 500 experienced staff working from 20 offices across 10 countries, delivering 3,400 event days of top class sport around the world every year.