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SHL starts on Saturday. In the days leading up to the premiere, auditing firm EY conducted a survey on the finances of the league’s 14 clubs.
The report contains a risk analysis of how clubs will financially cope with a full season without a hearing. And the result is alarming.
Ten of the 14 clubs would then have negative equity. Even after just five home games, two of the clubs would show negative equity.
– It is very worrying. It will be a fight, SHL CEO Michal Marchal tells TV4.
According to Marchal, therefore, it may be relevant with extraordinary measures to avoid the bankruptcy of any SHL club.
SHL brochure: “You must help the weakest”
– We are 14 clubs that are enemies all season, but who may in a situation like this have to work together to help weaker clubs. For everyone to spend a season with the extreme challenges we face, Marchal tells TV4.
And continues:
– This aid could consist of a liquidity supplement, for example. We will make sure all 14 clubs do well.
Färjestad (119 million) and HV 71 (56 million) are the two SHL clubs with the most capital. They are thus two clubs that, in theory, could be allowed to share their resources with clubs in crisis in the league.
Doesn’t that sound completely simple?
– If this is how it is intended, as I also understood it, then it could be complicated. Yes, absolutely, says Agne Bengtsson, club director at HV71.
A little difficult to explain, for example, to your own fans?
– It probably could be. We who are in the middle of that understand it. That without a good league we are not that valuable, then our business falls somehow.
– But of course, we would take 10 million of HV’s cash and send it to another club, it could be strange.
At the same time, are you a club with a great heritage?
– Yes. But much of this is tied to the arena itself. You can’t tear down the roof and turn it into pure money.
– It is liquidity that is difficult in this situation.
Färjestad CEO Stefan Larsson is also on the same line of thought:
– The challenge will be that even if you have a “safe” capital, you can have a very strained liquidity situation. Then it becomes a challenge to “lend” funds.
What do you think Färjestad fans would think if this still came true?
– Actually, I don’t know. But our fans are wise and understand everything and the key to completing the season.
Luleå CEO Stefan Enbom is basically positive about the common reasoning about the finances of the SHL team.
– There is one thing in SHL that we like in Luleå Hockey. There is a solidarity building for the league. We fraternally share a 14th part of the income and expenses. This evens the league. Take TV money for example, Oskarshamn gets as much as Färjestad, even though Färjestad has been involved in building the league for 100 years. It may be considered strange but it makes us a strong league.
Can you see what happens that, for example, Färjestad can help Oskarshamn financially?
– I find it difficult to see that they should be a kind of bank. These are extreme times and extreme solutions are probably required, because it is very important that all 14 teams get through this and complete the season.
In any case, nothing has been said at your SHL meetings?
– Nerd.
Fan base: “It’s our money”
Skellefteå (47.5 million) is the club with the third largest participation in the SHL. But the idea of sharing club resources with competitors is not something that everyone likes.
– It would feel terribly strange. It’s our club, it’s our money. As we fight together, says Ludvig Palmberg, president of the Skellefteå supporters association, North Power.
Is there nothing you want to experience?
– Better not.
Palmberg continues:
– It seems that we should not have to be responsible for a situation that another club has gotten into.
But isn’t it important that all clubs survive?
– Of course I understand that aspect, you want the best hockey in Sweden. And now it will be more difficult without an audience.
What is it really like to be involved in a fan association without being able to go to matches?
– It’s a hell.
Finally: What club really doesn’t want Skellefteå to help financially?
– Isn’t that answer obvious?
Yes maybe. But feel free to answer anyway.
– Of course it’s Luleå. But I am also convinced that Luleå has such good sponsors that they can do it themselves.
SHL clubs have so much equity
1) Färjestad 118.9 million SEK
2) HV71 56.4
3) Skellefteå 47.5
4) Frölunda 44.2
5) Växjö 29.9
6) Djurgården 29.3
7) Luleå 24.3
8) Leksand 22.7
9) Brynäs 16.2
10) Rögle 10.6
11) Linköping 9.6
12) Oskarshamn 7.5
13) Örebro 7.2
14) Malmö 2.9
