German ice-hockey’s top-tier Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) has expanded its association with Commercial Sports Media (CSM), the Swedish sports media rights firm, bringing it in as an advisor for its upcoming all-encompassing broadcast rights tender.
The tender will cover over 400 matches per year from the 2024-25 season onwards.
CSM has been selected as the DEL’s advisor for the domestic tender after helping out with similar processes and media rights sales for the top-tier ice-hockey leagues in Sweden, Finland, and Norway in recent years.
It is already the exclusive global rights-holder and distributor for the DEL outside Germany, having struck a four-season deal in December 2020.
That agreement covers all media and betting rights and runs through the 2023-24 campaign.
Domestic coverage of the German league is provided by Deutsche Telekom, via the MagentaSport over-the-top live-streaming service, while Servus TV airs a selection of matches each season free-to-air.
Gernot Tripcke, chief executive at the DEL, said: “The DEL has become a strong brand and we are excited to further build on the successes we have had with the sport and in the German media market.
“We are convinced that having Commercial Sports Media as an advisor is helping us to evaluate all options and add value to our media negotiations.”
Jonas Persson, CSM’s chief executive, added: “We are very pleased that our previous work with ice hockey leagues and federations has been recognized in the European marketplace.
“Ice hockey has gained a significantly improved position in the German sport and media market. From a sporting point of view, the years ahead look very interesting.”
