Release from 28.11.2024

Georg Wawer, Managing Director of win2day, in the interview

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win2day remains title sponsor and official betting partner of the win2day ICE Hockey League. The Austrian Lotteries gaming site has exercised the extension option granted for a further two seasons - including the 2026/27 season - within the contractually agreed period. Georg Wawer, Managing Director of win2day, provides insights into the reasons for the early extension, visions for the future and the goal of taking ice hockey in Austria to an even higher level.

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win2day has decided to extend its cooperation with the ICE Hockey League ahead of schedule. What were the key factors behind this decision?
Georg Wawer: “win2day, the gaming site of Austrian Lotteries, is the only licensed provider of online gaming in Austria. With more than 40 sponsorships, we are a long-term and reliable partner for domestic sport. Because sporting success requires predictability. That's why we are passionate about enabling the current sporting achievements of the national teams (women's, men's and para) as well as the women's and men's leagues in ice hockey.”

In your opinion, what are the most important goals that win2day and the ICE Hockey League would like to achieve together over the next few years?
Georg Wawer: “Ice hockey is on the upswing as a winter and team sport: rising spectator numbers in the leagues are proof that both the format and the sport in general are developing positively. We at win2day were instrumental in the founding of the win2day Austrian Women's Hockey League (AWHL). Our declared aim is for the well-known national ice hockey brands to have both a men's and a women's team that offer top-class ice hockey and play in a win2day ICE. As a brand, we do everything we can to achieve equal opportunities for women and men - with and without disabilities. And in ice hockey, for example, that means an integrated professional league with media visibility.”

How have you seen the partnership develop so far, and what role does win2day's strong identification with the league's goals play in this?
Georg Wawer: “win2day stands for ice hockey in Austria. Our declared goal with the league is to expand the circle of fans every year. Our young people need role models - after all, players are also role models. We at win2day are committed to fair play values every day and bring this to our partnership with the league. I am therefore particularly pleased that a first important milestone has already been reached with the founding of the win2day Austrian Women's Hockey League. Now it's all about continuously increasing the quality, bringing more fans to the women's league and promoting young talent so that we can cheer on more teams and players in a professional league in the future.”

The “Grow the Bubble” project has been in full swing for a few months now, with the aim of reaching new target groups, among other things. What is win2day contributing to this project and how important is it to you to reach new target groups?
Georg Wawer: “It's crucial to show people on all possible channels how great ice hockey is and how easily they can be part of it. We are deeply rooted in domestic ice hockey. For example, at win2day we are the global market makers for the win2day ICE - this means that our bookmakers are the first to place odds for ice hockey matches in the win2day ICE. With us, you can watch all matches LIVE for free, we have a podcast, video formats, produce content, make our in-house TV studio available to the association and the league and give away thousands of free tickets to fans. We live and breathe ice hockey with one goal in mind: we want to make the sport of ice hockey even more popular. Because ice hockey is a family-friendly happening and the league is one of the top leagues in the world!”

The project includes exciting activities such as “Bring-Your-Hero” match days powered by win2day and influencer integration with the teams. How important is this creative approach for you to get new fans excited about the sport?
Georg Wawer: “win2day is the main sponsor of the league - and, as the gaming site of Austrian Lotteries, the national provider for online gaming. As a partner of the league, we contribute far more than money and focus precisely on this creative approach. As mentioned earlier: we extend the games with digital content, run competitions on our channels, push awareness of the league and national teams through media cooperations, plan and produce new formats and, together with Martin Pfanner, provide our own high-reach win2day Hockey O'Clock podcast.”

How do you assess the increasing viewer interest and what role does this development play for the future of the partnership between win2day and the ICE Hockey League?
Georg Wawer: “Ice hockey is a trend sport. The new win2day AWHL will also bring new target groups into contact with the sport. And through long-term media deals, we will further increase visibility for future ice hockey fans. I hope that we will soon add new arenas because together we have managed to grow the fanbase.”

What challenges do you see for cooperation in the coming years, particularly with regard to the changing interests and needs of ice hockey fans?
Georg Wawer: “We live in a time of limited attention spans. Ice hockey is fast, a great LIVE sport and family-friendly. This will enable us to get new target groups interested in ice hockey as a LIVE sport. So that women and men can play in front of sold-out arenas!”

Finally, what does a successful partnership with the ICE Hockey League mean to you and how do you envisage the collaboration in the long term?
Georg Wawer: “Our goal is to have an equivalent women's counterpart to the win2day ICE Hockey League as soon as possible and thus also to professionalize women's ice hockey in Austria. The same applies to para-ice hockey. In the spirit of a successful partnership, we hope that the men's clubs will support these visions and that together we will ignite a unique turbo for Austrian ice hockey in the coming years.”