Release from 08.11.2024
Interview with League President Dr. Alexander Gruber:
The first season under the new presidency of the win2day ICE Hockey League has been underway for about 50 days now. What’s your interim assessment?
“The interim report is very positive. We’re seeing not only increasing numbers of spectators in the arenas but also a growing audience for live streams. We’re genuinely pleased with these developments.”
What do you attribute the rise in viewership to?
“We’ve managed to connect with a new target audience that we hadn’t reached before. In addition to long-time hockey fans, we’re attracting people who hadn’t previously been part of the traditional hockey crowd. Targeted efforts have sparked interest in our product and expanded its reach. The 'Grow the Bubble' project has aligned perfectly with our title sponsor win2day’s goals, which has made implementation much easier.”
The 'Grow the Bubble' project includes initiatives like engaging influencers within the teams and 'Bring-Your-Hero' game days, where season ticket holders can bring friends and family—their personal 'heroes'—to the games. What’s behind this project, and how would you evaluate it so far?
“The core of the project is reaching people who aren’t already hockey fans. We tell compelling stories about players and clubs, stories that aren’t always directly related to on-ice events. It’s about offering more than just the sport itself. We provide background info, personal journeys, and much more. This appeals to both existing fans and potential new ones. We’re thrilled that this idea is already bearing fruit, even though we’re just at the beginning of the project and have many more steps planned.”
Let’s talk about the on-ice action: Currently, Hydro Fehérvár AV19 and HCB Südtirol Alperia, two international teams, are leading the league. Overall, this season has shown that any team can beat any other. What’s your sports analysis of this?
“I think the current standings broadly reflect pre-season expectations. Many experts anticipated that Fehérvár, Bolzano, and also Ljubljana would start strong. The Moser Medical Graz99ers are also living up to high expectations. At the same time, there have been some surprises; the first 50 days have shown that every team has the potential to beat any other. Stability may increase as the season progresses, but the parity in the league certainly adds to the increased viewer interest.”
With players like Thomas Raffl and John Hughes, who’ve each played over 900 games in this league, how important are these standout players or 'Heroes' with whom young fans can identify?
“That’s almost essential. We need role models, idols—or 'Heroes,' as we call them this season. These players provide consistency that fans can connect with. It’s crucial that teams have players with recognizable faces and names. These 'Heroes' represent the sport and deliver messages that teams and the league want to convey to spectators. The style of play for a team is often embodied by certain players, which makes the sport even more appealing.”
Players like Thomas Raffl and John Hughes won’t play forever, though. What steps are being taken to prepare young players to take on similar roles?
“That’s a multi-layered challenge that we’re actively working on. Clubs increasingly understand the importance of fostering young 'Heroes.' We need diverse types of heroes that appeal to the public and represent the sport’s variety. Fan preferences are often diverse, influenced by factors like age and gender. It’s essential that each team has not just one but multiple 'Heroes' of different age groups to represent the club and hockey.”
Speaking of heroes, we’re currently in an international break, and the national teams of the four ICE nations are in action. The Austrian national team’s 26-man roster includes 20 players active in the league. That’s a positive sign, isn’t it?
“Absolutely, that’s a great result. Still, I see room for improvement in terms of club distribution. Ideally, every club would have at least two players on the national team. This would benefit the national team, the clubs, and the win2day ICE Hockey League. It would also help fans connect even more with the national team.”
Back to the league: This is now the third season with title sponsor win2day. How do you rate the partnership?
“We’ve managed to align the league’s goals with win2day’s goals. This alignment makes working with the sponsor much easier. As a league, we have a responsibility to give something back to the sponsor for their support, and when both sides are pulling in the same direction, it’s much easier.”