EURO HOCKEY LEAGUE (EHL) AND ORIGIN SPORTS GROUP AGREE A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO GROW THE EHL

The EHL and leading sports management business, ORIGIN Sports Group, today announce the signing of a strategic partnership to enhance the future of the Euro Hockey League (EHL), Europe’s premier club hockey competition.

This partnership will ensure that the EHL develops the commercial and operational foundation to grow the exposure of the competition and provide sports fans across Europe with a world-class product.

Following the successful launch of the competition in 2007, the EHL is where the leading hockey clubs across the continent compete to be crowned the best in Europe.

The partnership aims to build on this success with a robust commercial strategy that will provide the investment to lift the EHL to a level where it can compete with the more commercially established sports in Europe.

The European Hockey Federation and ORIGIN will undertake a full review of the existing competition format, scheduling, commercial program and sports presentation with an emphasis on maximising growth. Full details of this evolution will be released following the culmination of this review process.

Hans Erik Tuijt, EHL Chairman, commented: “We are delighted to partner with Sir Keith Mills and his team at ORIGIN to help us achieve our mission of promoting and growing hockey across Europe.

“ORIGIN’s experience of developing and executing significant international sports events will allow us to expand our ambitions and enhance the future of the EHL. We look forward to being able to share more about our plans following our strategic review.”

Stewart Hosford, Chief Executive ORIGIN Sports Group, continued: “As a company we have followed hockey for a number of years, and it is a sport that we think has huge growth potential. Hockey is a fast and exciting team sport that with the appropriate commercial framework and innovative presentation both in broadcast and in-venue, could rival the biggest sports in the world.

“We are delighted to make our first step into hockey with the world’s best club competition: The EHL. We look forward to work with Hans Erik Tuijt, Marijke Fleuren and the other EHL shareholders: Southfields and MediaPro to grow the sport of hockey in Europe.”