Important information is moving the first league hockey scene in the Czech Republic these days. The second highest competition will no longer be called the Chance League. The relevant bookmaker is moving to the highest football competition from the following season.
Czech television broadcast live the hockey match between Přerov and Poruba
| Video: Diary/Ivan Němeček
“Yes, we were told that recently. In the following months, the new titular partner of the first league will be announced to us,” confirmed ČSLH executive committee member and former head of Litoměřice hockey Daniel Sadil in an interview with sever Hokej.cz.
The clubs of the hockey first league have not yet received an official opinion on who will be the new most important sponsor of the competition. The units contacted by the newspaper do not want to comment on the situation yet.
Source: Diary/Ivan Němeček
An “exchange” of partners with football and Fortuna may be offered, or a new cooperation with two other entities that applied to buy the name of the highest football competition – Betano and ČSOB. Or will the titular sponsor be someone completely different? It should be clear in June at the latest.
A better chance to advance to the extra league?
Another novelty is the establishment of the Association of Premier League Clubs. This is to represent the interests of the clubs of the second highest division. Thirteen clubs joined it, and negotiations are underway with a newcomer from Chomutov.
“We were at the meeting from the very beginning and we acknowledge the establishment of the association. There was nothing like this here, and it is certainly better to have support in negotiations with both the Extraliga and the Czech Ice Hockey Association,” said the sports manager of HC Zubr Přerov, Pavel Hanák.
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For the elite first league teams, the creation of such an association could mean hope for a change in the playoff format and an increase in the chances of advancing to the extra league. These are very low under the current model, which is managed de facto by the top league clubs themselves, which was also confirmed by the last two years.
“This is one of the main goals of our association. We are communicating with Martin Loukota and the APK LH board to find the best possible way for both parties. We want the format to be motivating for Premier League clubs. So that they know that if they win the first league, they have a real chance to advance to the extra league,” said Daniel Sadil.
It was the representatives of the biggest favorites on paper to triumph in the competition and possible promotion that were elected to the leadership of the SPK. The president is Pavel Hinner from Poruba, on the board of directors are Petr Neumann from Vsetín and Jan Pravda from Zlín. Stanislav Tichý from Slavia Prague and Martin Svoboda from Třebíč are also present.
“Representatives of teams for whom the playoff system is far more important applied for these positions. It’s logical,” says Pavel Hanák from Přerov.
Zubři are not among the aspirants for promotion to the extra league, but in every season since their return to the then WSM league, they have fought for promotion to the semi-finals. “Never say never. For me, however, it will be very difficult to enforce the change in the playoff model, and the extra league will be against it,” the manager thinks. “Nonetheless, the formation of the association was also related to the search for a general partner and other sponsors of the first league, promotion of the competition on television and other media,” added Hanák.
A guaranteed innovation in the new season, which will improve the quality of the second highest competition, is the introduction of a system for video referees in every first league stadium. The obligation will apply to the goal camera system above the goal.
Does the Chance League deserve a video referee? We will act, says her boss
