Still, all involved parties agree that measures will soon have to be taken in order to clarify open questions and to set the course for the future. How they will shape their future remains to be seen.
It is also clear that issues like the Financial-Fair-Play-System, Promotion/Demotion between Leagues, the number of import players, and players with a Swiss players' license will be among the things discussed in the offseason.
In the statement, the National League AG also reveals that they aim to build a task force with the SIHPU in order to find solutions for common problems such as the looming salary reduction due to the stipulations of the "à-fond perdu" subsidies.
Speaking of those, the league is also looking for an adjustment of the framework regarding the subsidies in order for the clubs "to profit from the financial support but also to be able to respect existing contracts" with players.
As per Keystone-SDA, the Council of States voted today for an adjustment to the current framework. However, it was a close call as the final vote was 20 to 21 votes for the adjustment. If the National Council also votes for the adjustment, clubs would no longer have to decrease their payroll by 20 percent. Instead, their total payroll, over a period of five years, may not increase by more than the increase in the national consumer price index.
On another note, the National League also announced that they will remain a member of Swiss Ice Hockey and that everything in regard to their business relationship will be regulated in a cooperation agreement.
Furthermore, the National League and Swiss Ice Hockey will launch the tender for the broadcasting rights in the second quarter of 2021. The existing agreement will expire at the end of the 2021-22 season.
The National League has decided to put out a survey for fans and other "interested parties" to voice their opinions about several issues which have been discussed over the course of the last couple of months. You can find the survey here: https://www.survio.com/survey/d/nlumfrage
