Franchise Notes: KHL Will Add Team Based In Sochi For Next Season

The Kontinental Hockey League "will add a team based in Sochi for next season, a boost to legacy plans for the 2014 Olympic host city." The club will likely play in either the Bolshoy Ice Dome or Shayba Arena, the two hockey venues located in the Olympic Park, "making it the first sports team to be based in an arena used at the Sochi Olympics." Beside Sochi, the KHL also said Wednesday on its website that "it will add Finnish team Jokerit and Lada Tolyatti, a club in central Russia, to bring the league to 31 teams in nine countries" (AP, 4/30). ... Energy TI CEO Roberto Guili "has revealed his plans" for Serie A club Parma, after it was announced that the company "have become minority shareholders." The gas and energy company have bought 10% of the club for €25M ($35M), and their CEO "has admitted why they decided to invest" in the club. Guili said, “We’re already active, as a company, in Parma. And we plan to involve the fans with special promotions and the like" (FOOTBALL ITALIA, 4/30).