German Hockey League (DEL) club Dusseldorf EG "has secured the budget for the '14-15 season," according to Rainer Wallasch of the WESTDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG. The club said that majority shareholders Peter Hohberg and Mikhail Ponomarev "have helped out through secured bank guarantees." To be able to compete in the playoffs, the DEG needs a season budget of about €6.5M ($8.8M). However, the club "did not confirm this number."
WINTER GAME: The club is also "pushing ahead with its application to host the DEL Winter Game" in Jan. '15. Dusseldorf "wants to host the game at the ESPRIT arena," which is the home of 2nd Bundeliga club Fortuna Dusseldorf. The DEG wants to play against rival Cologne Sharks in front of 50,000 spectators. Cologne, which also submitted a bid to host the game, "wants to play the Krefeld Penguins at the Veltins-Arena in Schalke" (WESTDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, 1/15). The EXPRESS reported both cities "will present their individual Winter Game concepts to the DEL on Monday." It is expected that the league "will come down with a decision on which city will host the game later that day" (EXPRESS, 1/14).
