A significant step was taken in the Ice Hockey SM League on Wednesday, when the League announced that it had granted Kiekko-Espo, which plays in Mestis, a conditional league license for the 2024–2025 season. Decisions on approving applications are made by the League’s general meeting.
An important aspect for the league position is the share price. SM league chairman Heikki Hiltunen has previously stated that its amount is 3.67 million euros. Jokerit gave up the league application because of its high value. For that, the price was estimated at 3.8 million euros.
In the 2010s, Vaasan Sport, Kouvola’s KooKoo and Mikkeli’s Jukurit each paid 1.8 million euros. According to Urheilu, Kiekko-Espoo hopes the price will be in the same category.
Hiltunen now tells Urheilu that the final league share price required from Kiekko-Espo cannot be confirmed yet. The final price will be decided by the SM league clubs at the League’s general meeting.
– They will define the other terms of the private placement, i.e. what are the payment terms and what will the subscription price be, Hiltunen says.
So you may have to pay almost four million euros for a league share. Hiltunen reminds that in ten years the value of the SM league has increased.
– The offer compared to what the SM league offered for a new share ten years ago has changed. There are various online and mobile platforms ready, which are offered to the stock for use without them having to invest in or develop them.
– SM-liiga has therefore invested in order to raise the value of the share. If the SM league clubs made a better result, the value could rise even further, Hiltunen justifies the high league stock.
Hiltunen responds to Tuto’s criticism
While Kiekko-Espo was granted a conditional league license, the license application of Turku-based Tuton Hockey Oy, which also plays in Mestis, was rejected. The league already announced in November that the application did not meet the requirements.
The required conditions were still not met.
– Tuto worked a lot on their application, and I believe that as a result of the process they now have a good road map for what it takes to play in the League, chairman of the license committee Jaakko Luumi expressed on Wednesday.
In Tutto, the activities of the SM league have been heavily criticized in the last month. Managing director Kimmo Hollmé said at the beginning of December that the club has not found out what the wild price of the league stock consists of.
Tuto chairman Tuomas Haanpää saw that Tuto is not a wanted club in the series. Hiltunen denies the claim.
– That’s not what it’s about. They have gone through the same process and have the ability to provide all the information. They have already received feedback that there were flaws in the application.
The club said it would appeal the decision to the Sports Legal Protection Board.
– The decision was still not positive. They are entitled to complain about it to the Sports Safety Board, Hiltunen adds.
“We have not violated competition law”
The league was closed for a long time. It has been accused of abusing its dominant market position.
In November, it was reported that six league clubs had sent a letter to the league board led by Tappara. The big clubs have been dissatisfied with the league and license system.
Hiltunen says that it has received a review request from Tappara regarding matters related to competition law.
– We made clarifications and took two independent expert opinions, which confirmed the view. It is good attention from the partner that competition law matters are verified correctly.
Hiltunen also defends the competitive side of the league with the fact that three clubs have entered the league in the last ten years.
– We are moving to the qualifiers (2025), where an athletic rise is possible. This is a professional sport that involves risks. We have checked and done a lot of work to ensure that we have not violated competition law, and it is not in our interests to violate it, Hiltunen replies.