New Premium Part­ners

After winning the Austrian Cup in February 2020, Austria’s men’s senior national team was forced into a break lasting more than a year. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, among other events, the IIHF World Championship Division I Group A was cancelled twice in succession. However, head coach Roger Bader’s charges have been back in training since Monday and are preparing for the replacement World Championship tournament in Slovenia from 15 to 21 May.

Just in time for the return to the ice, LAOLA1/Sportradar Media Services, the ÖEHV’s exclusive marketing partner, has acquired two new premium partners. One of them is the internationally active betting provider Unibet, which has been among the pioneers of online gambling since the 1990s. Unibet’s logo will in future feature on the front and back of the ÖEHV players’ jerseys as a shirt sponsor.

The partnership also includes rink-board advertising and presentations across the ÖEHV’s social-media channels. Due to the uncertainty surrounding Austria’s new gambling legislation, the collaboration will initially run until autumn 2021. Nevertheless, Unibet’s commitment demonstrates the importance of betting providers as sponsors for Austrian sport, and vice versa.

Another supporter is Dr. med. Ivo Ďurkovič, whose company iDoctor operates eye laser surgery clinics in Slovakia and Austria. The rights package Ďurkovič has agreed with LAOLA1/Sportradar includes, among other things, helmet sponsorship at all men’s national team matches, as well as rink-board advertising and an activation package within the ice hockey environment on LAOLA1.at.

Dr. Klaus Hartmann, President of the Austrian Ice Hockey Federation: "We are delighted to have secured two high-quality and committed partners for our men’s national team. The partnership with internationally operating companies underlines the great interest in ice hockey and the Austrian national team. We are very much looking forward to the upcoming internationals, the first men’s matches in more than a year, and hope to impress our new partners with the performances on show."

Dr. med. Ivo Ďurkovič, founder and chief physician of iDoctor Augenlaserchirurgie: "I have always had a great passion for ice hockey and, through my branch in Klagenfurt, I also have a personal connection with Austria. I am very proud to now be working with the Austrian national team and to support the boys in future."

Martin Beranek, General Manager Germany/Austria/Switzerland at Unibet: "As a Swedish betting provider, ice hockey is naturally close to our hearts and, as the second most popular team sport, offers an attractive environment for a betting provider to further raise our brand awareness in Austria. We are delighted to be able to support the ÖEHV, particularly in the current situation, and despite the planned gambling legislation, we also hope for a long-term partnership in the future."

Mico "Mitch" Andric, Team Lead Media Sales at LAOLA1/Sportradar Media Services: "We are very pleased that the ÖEHV teams will soon be able to resume playing again. Especially in challenging times like these, it is important for Austrian ice hockey to have strong partners such as Unibet and iDoctor Augenlaserchirurgie by its side."

NATIONAL TEAM FIXTURES

12–16.04.2021: Training camp and international matches
Venue: Vienna and Budapest/Hungary
Participants: Austria, Hungary, Belarus

12–15.04.2021: Training days
15.04.2021, 20:45: Hungary v Austria (LIVE on ORF Sport+ and LAOLA1.at)
16.04.2021, 17:00: Belarus v Austria

19–24.04.2021: Training camp and international matches
Venue: Vienna and Jindrichuv Hradec
Participants: Austria, Czech Republic

19–22.04.2021: Training days
22.04.2021, 17:15: Austria v Czechia
24.04.2021, 18:40: Czechia v Austria

28.04–03.05.2021: Training camp and internationals
Venue: Piešťany/Slovakia
Participants: Austria, Slovakia

28–30.04.2021: Training days
01.05.2021, 20:15: Slovakia v Austria
02.05.2021, 20:15: Slovakia v Austria

05–09.05.2021: Training camp and internationals
Venue: Telfs and Bolzano/Italy
Participants: Austria, Italy

05–07.05.2021: Training days
08.05.2021: Italy v Austria
09.05.2021: Italy v Austria

13–21.05.2021: Beat Covid-19 Ice Hockey Tournament
Venue: Ljubljana/Slovenia
Participants: Austria, France, Slovenia, Poland, Romania, Ukraine

15.05.2021, 16:30: Slovenia v Austria
17.05.2021, 13:00: Austria v Poland
18.05.2021, 13:00: Austria v Ukraine
20.05.2021, 16:30: Austria v Romania
21.05.2021, 13:00: France v Austria