DEL gets new TV contract

According to their website the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) has signed a new television contract that makes tv access to ice hockey games far easier for fans in Germany.

Until the end of the 2011-12 season only a couple of games were shown in the free tv sports channel Eurosport while the top games of the week were broadcasted via the pay tv channel Sky. This system led to a controvery among ice hockey officials and fans whether this is the best form to promote the sport in the country.

DEL now has signed a four-year contract with the marketing agency "the sportsman media group". A first step of this cooperation is that the DEL games are now broadcasted by the Austrian-based private tv channel Servus TV which also has rights on matches of the Austrian EBEL. Another partner becomes the Austrian web sports channel laola1.tv, widely known for broadcasting EBEL and KHL games.

Servus TV will show one game every Sunday, at least one game in every playoff round and the complete final series while laola1.tv shows Friday's top games and the highlights of all league games. By this DEL games shown in free tv increase from 8 this year (Eurosport) to 50+ in the future (Servus TV/laola1.tv).

Gernot Tripcke, chairman of the DEL, said: "Servus TV and laola1.tv both stand for the highest quality. And this now free for everyone. We are sure that we are going to give not only the marketing of the DEL but also the establishment and popularity of the German ice hockey a big boost."

 

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