Teofoli: “In the future, fewer foreigners, more locals”

Mr. Teofoli, what conclusion do you draw after the past season?

“It's definitely positive, because we can look back on a high-quality, exciting season. With its fourth championship title, Asiago has once again underlined that it is one of the top addresses in domestic ice hockey. Valpellice has established itself at the top by reaching the final and winning the cup. As far as the A2 series is concerned, important building blocks need to be put in place as quickly as possible. The championship must definitely be expanded to other regions such as Trentino, Veneto or Piedmont. Concentrating on a single territorial area was a good experiment, but it has no long-term future.”

Let's talk about Serie A again: What are the circumstances under which we start the coming season there?

“There will be a first meeting with the individual club representatives in Verona on April 13th. The first guidelines should be defined there. The economic crisis has long since affected sport, but all ten teams that took part this year will take part again next season. I was assured of this.”

How do you rate the game mode in the highest class, which is by no means uncontroversial?

“Personally, I was already convinced in the summer that a championship divided into regular season and playoff was the best solution. The intermediate round cost the players a lot of energy, and some clubs had hoped for more from this solution. One thing is clear: the number of games must be reduced. The “English weeks” in particular with two home games within a few days have shown that the clubs have difficulty filling their stadiums. The fact is that ice hockey is on a healthy footing and can also be marketed well. We must now succeed in attracting more spectators to the arenas.”

What about reducing transfer card players? Are you for or against?

“Basically, we have to work on reducing the number of foreign players. This is the only way the locals can be supported and ultimately make a leap in quality. Nothing has been decided yet, but the topic of transfer card players will determine the plans for the coming season. The clubs have to reduce their budgets.”

Is too much money being invested in team squads?

“I see the problem as being that those responsible often invest in the wrong place. I repeat: The basis of ice hockey is solid, the attractiveness and the show on offer are undisputed. It just has to be clear to everyone that only healthy and long-term planning can be successful. We all have to work together on our future, and that is only possible with balanced balance sheets.”

Would expanding the league be a solution?

“It is definitely worth considering expanding Series A. There are several second division teams that could take the plunge. However, one should not ignore the overall package, because the A2 series must also maintain its attractiveness and continue to arouse interest. Series C also has development potential. Very clear objectives are required there. The final series between Auer and Trent with sometimes a thousand spectators per game showed that ice hockey can move crowds even in the lower leagues.”

What are the next LIHG (Lega Italiana Hockey su Ghiaccio) dates?

“As mentioned, there will be a meeting with the club representatives next week. Then clear championship rules must be in place by the end of the month to guarantee the clubs planning security and to save us all a summer full of uncertainties.”

How do you feel about your first year as Lega president?

“My main focus was initially on creating a good basis for communication with and between the clubs. I think I succeeded quite well. For the near future, there are two construction areas that need to be tackled: marketing and public relations. They form the basis for the successful future of this wonderful sport.”

Are there new companies looking to invest in the sport of ice hockey?

“The collaboration with our main sponsor Proraso will continue in the coming season. At the same time, we are also working on finding new donors. We are already in negotiations with some of them. I am convinced that there will be some innovations at the start of the next seasons.”

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Teofoli: “In the future, fewer foreigners, more locals”

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