Release from 08.02.2021

ICE has reached the first major milestone

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In the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League, the first part of the regular season was completed as planned on 7th of February 2021. The first major stage goal of the season was achieved under difficult conditions and 44 rounds were turned into a success story. The intermediate round already starts on Friday with three matches of the Qualification Round.

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On 6th of August 2020, the league leadership and club officials set the start of the season for 25th of September in a video conference. The basis for this was the meticulously elaborated "Return-to-Play" concept, which quickly proved its worth and was also adopted by other European ice hockey leagues. Almost half a year after the final league kick-off, the first part of the regular season of the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League was completed as planned under difficult conditions. Despite the Coronavirus-related restrictions, the internationality of the league was also maintained.

"We are happy and it also fills us with pride that we were able to finish the first phase as planned. Everyone involved has pulled together over the past months and done an excellent job to achieve this goal together. The right decisions were made at the right time. A big thank you also goes to the politicians and public authorities who are standing by us in the best possible way in these difficult times. We were immediately assured of support from the Ministry of Health and from the COVID-19 sports league fund of the Ministry of Sport," emphasises league president Mag. Jochen Pildner-Steinburg.

Expansion of the streaming offer
After the teams started the season with limited spectator capacities, the last game so far in front of fans took place in Salzburg on 23rd of October due to pandemic developments. Shortly afterwards, a streaming solution was implemented so that ice hockey fans could continue to watch all games of the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League. Thus, in addition to the TV broadcasts by Sky, PULS 24 and the international partners, another 300 hours of live ice hockey were offered. The expansion of the streaming offer was also responsible for the fact that the media value increased by 13 per cent season-on-season until December - despite the coronavirus crisis. "We have been very responsible with the spectator issue from the beginning. Sport thrives on the fans and we all look forward to the moment when that special atmosphere returns to the rinks. We have made a very good decision and, also thanks to a support programme from the Ministry of Sport, we have set up a streaming service in a very short time. In this way, we ensure that the fans do not miss a single second, even in the decisive championship phase," adds Mag. Jochen Pildner-Steinburg.

Start of the Pick and Qualification Round
After a few match-free days, the teams of the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League continue with the intermediate round. The teams in sixth to eleventh place will start their fight for the last three play-off tickets on Friday, 12th of February. The top five are already qualified for the quarter-finals. They will duel for the pick and home right for the play-offs as well as the second starting place in the Champions Hockey League from Sunday, 14th of February. With league leaders HCB Südtirol Alperia, the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League - which started play very early in an international comparison - has the first permanently qualified team for the upcoming CHL season, along with Swedish defending champions Frölunda.