EBEL/ICE Hockey League General Discussion (3 clubs added for 2021-22)

[Theokritos]

I'm looking forward to see how BlackWings plan to exist after government stops their COVID support...

Everyone does. No-one knows how much attendance they would draw if arenas were open. Not as much as before the rift, obviously. But with EHV Linz now out of contention, some of the Black Wings fans who turned their backs on the club and put their hope on EHV can be expected to return, even if not without grinding their teeth.

 

[Theokritos]

According to league president Pildner-Steinburg, four clubs have submitted bids to join the ICE Hockey League in 2020-21:

Austria: VEU Feldkirch, EHV Linz (Update: bid by EHV Linz withdrawn)
Italy: HC Pustertal (Bruneck)
Slovenia: Olimpija Ljubljana

Judging by his interview, Pustertal has the best chances ("if Austria can support eight clubs, Italy should certainly be able to support two clubs in the league"). He doesn't seem as optimistic about Feldkirch ("we have to discuss that") and Linz ("in Linz there is an ugly fuss with criminal accusations"). No comment on Ljubljana.

Znojmo (Czechia) wants to compete in the league again, but the club considers it a mere reactivation of its membership that has been domant for one season while the league says Znojmo has left the league and would need submit a formal bid and pay the entry fee anew if they are submitted.

The voting at the league meeting today brought the following result:

Either the league changed its mind or Znojmo submitted a formal bid after all, but the club has been re-admitted to the league. Also admitted: HC Pustertal/Bruneck and Olimpija Ljubljana. Thus the league will have 14 teams from six countries (Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia) next season.

Not admitted (for the time being): VEU Feldkirch.

 

[Yellow and the green]

Honestly i don't see a bright future in Bratislava Capitals... Just such a plastic club with literally no history and its gonna compete with Slovan Bratislava in media attention.

 

[tobu]

Honestly i don't see a bright future in Bratislava Capitals... Just such a plastic club with literally no history and its gonna compete with Slovan Bratislava in media attention.

I'm not so pessimistic about it. Looking at Slovak sites and discussions, fans are starting to discuss the Capitals' games online. Sure, it probably won't get the popularity of Slovan any time soon or ever, but it will get a fanbase eventually, a city of 800K should be able to host two professional clubs at the top level.

 

[Yellow and the green]

I'm not so pessimistic about it. Looking at Slovak sites and discussions, fans are starting to discuss the Capitals' games online. Sure, it probably won't get the popularity of Slovan any time soon or ever, but it will get a fanbase eventually, a city of 800K should be able to host two professional clubs at the top level.

But when it comes to actually making money in attendance its gonna be a whole lot diffrtent

 

[KTl]

But when it comes to actually making money in attendance its gonna be a whole lot diffrtent

But Capitals is also an advertising tool for iClinic in Austria (plus other involved countries).

 

[Urbanskog]

Interesting to see another Italian team join the league at last. Now if ever is the natural time for that considering the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.