Financially vulnerable – now Djurgården is appointing a working group

While the team is fighting for promotion, the club is exposed financially.
To address this and the increasing gap between the series, a working group is now being appointed.

The loss in last year’s Allsvenskan final continues to punish Djurgården. While fighting to challenge the big favourites, Brynäs at the top of the second division, they face a tough choice where cutbacks may be forced. This at the same time as the gap between the Hockeyallsvenskan and the SHL grows.

“Djurgården Hockey is today in a vulnerable financial situation and the fact that the men’s representative team plays in the HockeyAllsvenskan is a sporting failure that has major consequences for the association’s overall competitiveness over time. We also cannot be satisfied with the high staff turnover that has characterized the organization, the association’s commercial development and the fact that there is still a lack of a basic infrastructure to conduct quality ice hockey activities in Stockholm. The above should prompt humility and self-examination. For this, we in the association bear responsibility,” the club writes in a press release.

To “address the association’s financial and sporting future prospects”, now announced that a working group led by the CEO Matthias Sånemyr and future sporting manager Niklas Wikegård.

“Bad for both Djurgården and for Swedish ice hockey”

At the same time, concern is expressed about the increasing differences in conditions between the series. A difference and distance that is also believed to increase in the coming years.

“This is bad for both Djurgården Hockey and for Swedish ice hockey. To take an example, the compensation for media rights to the clubs in the HockeyAllsvenskan remains at SEK 5 million, while the SHL clubs can count on SEK 65 million annually until 2030. To that can be added that the current compensation system in the form of a predetermined pot for players who go from lower divisions to the SHL is far too inadequate. The above in combination with the fact that the financial compensation for players who leave for the NHL is far too low creates a completely unsustainable financial situation,” it writes.

Two options therefore remain according to the Stockholm club. One of which is not considered acceptable.

“Having said that. There are now two ways to go. One is to continue as before. This means that Djurgården Hockey strongly needs to cut back on its operations and, in addition, sporting ambitions in a HockeyAllsvenskan context. However, it is not an acceptable way to go for an ice hockey association with Djurgården’s history, culture and ambitions. Then option number two remains. A direct and honest conversation about the current situation with Djurgården Hockey’s members, shareholders, partners and other stakeholders.”