Sky to title sponsor new Alps Hockey League

Pan-European pay-television broadcast group Sky has agreed a deal to become the title sponsor of the Alps Hockey League, a newly-launched ice hockey competition comprising Austrian, Italian and Slovenian teams.

The length of Sky’s agreement was not disclosed but the deal will at least cover the upcoming 2016-17 season, which will mark the league’s first since it was founded earlier in the year.

“With the Alps Hockey League and Sky a new and innovative format meets a company well-known for innovation,” Walter Fink, Sky Austria’s director of marketing, said.

“I’m convinced that the cooperation will find some positive synergies. Our engagement in Alps Hockey League is another building brick to strengthen our hockey presence in Austria and furthermore Alto Adige (in northern Italy) is an interesting market where we want to be on the spot.”

Sky is the first company to partner with the Alps Hockey League, which features eight Italian clubs, seven Austrian teams and one Slovenian outfit. The 2016-17 season gets underway on Saturday.