Intersport CEO Franz Julen Tells IIHF To Change Dates Of World Championships

Sports retail chain Intersport told the Int'l Ice Hockey Federation "to change the dates of its world championships," according to Matthias Kettenburg of SPONSORs. Intersport "has been a partner of the Champions Hockey League since its inception last year." However, the retailer "is not a sponsor of the IIHF world championships, and CEO Franz Julen has an easy explanation for it." Julen: "The CHL is much more attractive for us because it happens during the winter and provides us with a permanent presence from August until February." He added that the world championships, which are played in May, "happen much too late for our business." Julen: "I'm convinced that the IIHF could make a big jump in the area of merchandise if it would play the world championships in December" (SPONSORs, 6/30).