Rome, Italy – The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has extended its media and marketing partnership with Infront, a Wanda Sports Group company, until 2033. The appointment of Infront as the IIHF’s marketing partner for the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship as well as the two Division I tournaments (Group A and B) from 2024 to 2033, has been unanimously ratified by the delegates of the IIHF Congress in Rome today.
The new agreement with Infront has been structured in order to allow the IIHF and Infront to mutually adapt to ongoing changes in the industry, where digital will continue to blur the traditional boundaries of the broadcast and sponsorship landscape in the coming years. Over the 10-year period it foresees guaranteed payments and the provision of comprehensive media, marketing and digital services by Infront in the value of more than CHF 500 million. On top of this the parties will have equal share in the exploitation of new and innovative sources of revenues, such as sports and fan data.
The terms of the new agreement were determined by an IIHF Negotiation Group chaired by IIHF Vice President Bob Nicholson and comprising another five members of the IIHF Council.
Nicholson said: “We thank Infront for the very fair and always transparent negotiation process. During this process Infront has convinced both the IIHF negotiation group and the IIHF membership that it is the ideal commercial partner for IIHF until 2033, not only due to the significant financial contributions they will make in return for the rights, but also in terms of increased investment into services which will enable IIHF to remain at the forefront of future technological developments.”
Infront Senior Vice President Bruno Marty said: “The new agreement provides our partner IIHF long-term financial security, continuous investment into multiple services and a tried-and-tested team of seasoned commercial experts in the field of ice hockey. This combination will significantly increase the potential of IIHF to further develop and grow the sport of ice hockey globally in the future and Infront is very proud to remain IIHF's trusted partner on this mission. For Infront and its commercial partners this prolongation provides a strong basis for sustained, strategic collaboration in world ice hockey and beyond.”
The IIHF, founded on 15 May 1908 in Paris, France, is the governing body of international ice hockey. The IIHF features 76 member associations, each of which is the national governing body of the sport in its nation. Besides controlling the international rulebook, processing international player transfers, and dictating officiating guidelines, the IIHF runs numerous development programmes designed to bring hockey to a broader population. The IIHF also presides over ice hockey in the Olympic Games, and over the IIHF World Championships at all levels, men, women, juniors under-20, juniors under-18 and women under-18. Each season, the IIHF in collaboration with its local organising committees, runs around 25 different World Championships in the five different categories.
Besides the world championships, the IIHF also runs a set of European club competitions. In 2008, the IIHF was celebrating its 100-year anniversary, honouring it with a host of ambitious new projects, including naming the Century All Star Team, the 100 Top Stories of the Century, charity events, children's development programmes, and the launch of the Victoria Cup.