DEL boss relies on football fans who are critical of the World Cup in winter

Created: 09/14/2022, 04:17

Gernot Tripcke is the managing director of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL).

© Marcel Kusch/dpa

DEL Managing Director Gernot Tripcke is campaigning for football-weary fans in view of the heavily criticized World Cup in Qatar in winter.

Frankfurt / Main - Tripcke does not believe that the World Cup in November and December will have a negative impact on the ice hockey season that is then running.

“The opening match of the World Cup is Qatar against Ecuador.

That won't stop any ice hockey fan from going to the stadium," said Tripcke before the start of the German Ice Hockey League season on Thursday.

The head of the German Ice Hockey League also relies on critical football fans who reject the World Cup in Qatar.

"I hope that one or the other fan who can't watch a Bundesliga game during this time will go to ice hockey or maybe even handball or basketball," Tripcke continued, hoping for a lasting effect using the Frankfurt location as an example.

"Any Eintracht fan who can't go to Eintracht for four weeks and instead goes to the Löwen will come back to ice hockey.

I'm quite sure of that.” The Löwen Frankfurt ice hockey team has been top-class again since this spring.

dpa