FFHG, the French Ice Hockey Federation, has enlisted sports agency Agon to overhaul its commercial strategy as the governing body seeks to capitalize on the country hosting two major ice hockey events over the next five years.
Under the new partnership, France-based Agon becomes the FFHG’s strategic agency for the next five years, working to revamp the governing body’s entire commercial strategy, including its marketing, commercial partnerships, and events.
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The deal comes as France gears up to stage ice hockey’s flagship IIHF World Championships in Paris and Lyon in 2028 and the Winter Olympics in the French Alps in 2030, with the FFHG keen to raise the profile of its top-tier domestic league, Ligue Magnus, as well as its national team players ahead of the events.
The 2028 World Championships will mark the third time that France has hosted the event, following the 1951 and 2017 editions.
Axel Laine, FFHG’s marketing director, said: “The objective is to offer bold support to our existing and future partners and to imagine numerous opportunities for the general public to discover our sport.
“The strengthening of existing events and the creation of new ones, or even the design of impactful editorial content around the Synerglace Ligue Magnus and the French Teams will also be challenges of this collaboration."
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By GlobalDataDomestic rights to Ligue Magnus are held by sports production and live streaming firm Sportway Media Group (SMG) as part of a five-year agreement with FFHG that began with the 2024-25 season.
Under that deal, SMG launched a new platform to house all French ice hockey games from junior leagues to the top division, the domestic French Cup, and national team games.
Before that, live streaming operator Fanseat provided coverage of all international and domestic matches until the end of the 2024-25 season.
Gautier Pourchet, associate director of Agon, said: “Hockey is a spectacular sport, embodying strong values, and our mission will be to promote it through ambitious, accessible strategies rooted in the regions.
“The prospect of the 2028 World Championships and the 2030 Olympic Games represents a tremendous opportunity for acceleration for the entire ecosystem.”
