The German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) and the DEL have signed a new cooperation agreement until 2026,”We have been working very well together for several years now. The talks were very constructive,”said DEB President Franz Reindl on the fringes of the German Cup in Augsburg:” We need continuity and stability.
The current contract between the association and the professional league expires next year:”The common ground is in the foreground,”emphasized DEL Supervisory Board Chairman Jürgen Arnold, explaining the long running time:”As the league, we are concerned with the national team and the next generation. You can’t fix that overnight.”
The length of the contract is based on the DEB’s “Powerplay 26″concept, which aims to be able to compete internationally for medals at this point in time, and the two sides quickly agreed on the finances:”Money was not the core issue, we are well equipped,”said Reindl. The 14 DEL clubs have been members of the association for three years now.
Under the new president Reindl, the situation has eased considerably. The contract, which is still valid at the moment, was only concluded in 2012 after tough disputes.