Professional Hockey Debuts In Hong Kong Royal Bank Of Canada Proud To Sponsor CIHL

Professional ice hockey will make its Hong Kong debut this Saturday (October 8) when the CIHL takes to the ice at Mega Ice in Kowloon Bay for the first games of the 2011-2012 season and the start of "Hockey Night in Hong Kong." End Quote

(1888PressRelease) October 15, 2011 - With over 1,000 players of all levels in Hong Kong and a growing demand for high-level, contact hockey, the CIHL aims to raise the level of the sport in Hong Kong and the region, while providing regular, exciting and affordable family entertainment.

"As the sport grows in both Hong Kong and China, and an increasingly large pool of talented players develops through the city's excellent youth and junior programs, we felt there was a need for professional, competitive contact hockey in Hong Kong," CIHL co-founder Gregory Smyth said. "Through the CIHL we hope to provide a new avenue for exciting, young players to play great hockey, while promoting sportsmanship and raising the bar on the sport in the region."

In celebration of opening night, official league sponsor Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) will be providing complimentary tickets to junior hockey players who wear their hockey sweaters.

"RBC is passionate about supporting youth participation in sport and the life lessons and values of sport," said Andrew Turczyniak, Head of Asia, RBC Wealth Management. "The CIHL expands the opportunities for high-level hockey in Hong Kong and the region. Through our partnership, we hope to create further interest in the sport, as well as support and encourage young, talented players."

Every Saturday night from October 8 through April 14, 2012, fans will be able to catch two back-to-back games featuring the Hong Kong Tycoons , the Kowloon Warriors, the Macau Aces and the South China Sharks.

CIHL season tickets are priced at HK$5,888 for a pair of reserved tickets for each of the 36 games, while a family pack of four tickets is priced at HK$8,888. Season tickets are available on the official website, www.cihl.com/tickets or by contacting info ( @ ) cihl dot com dot

"As hockey and ice sports in general grow across Hong Kong and China, the goal of the CIHL is to work towards establishing a Chinese professional league over time as well as develop players from Hong Kong and China who can compete on the international hockey stage," CIHL commissioner Grant Phillips said.

The CIHL has created an online and mobile community through its comprehensive league and team websites, as well as its iPhone app, which allows fans
to access on-demand video clips, game highlights, photographs, statistics, schedules and player information.

All games will be played at Mega Ice, with a game format of three, 12-minute periods of five-on-five hockey.

About the CIHL

The CIHL was founded in 2010 to provide new opportunities for high-level, contact hockey in Hong Kong, Macau and Southern China as well as to champion sportsmanship and develop future generations of Chinese hockey.

The Royal Bank of Canada is the official league sponsor for the inaugural 2011-2012 CIHL season. This year, the league will feature four teams: the Hong Kong Tycoons, Kowloon Warriors, Macau Aces and South China Sharks

Every Saturday night from October 8 through April 14, the teams will face off at Mega Ice for two back-to-back games. Family entertainment, community events and on-ice kids competitions are aimed at making Saturdays a true "Hockey Night in Hong Kong".

About Royal Bank of Canada

Proud supporters of amateur sport and the arts, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is the official league sponsor of the CIHL. As league sponsors, RBC will be supporting the CIHL and hockey in Hong Kong in several ways, including an opening night kids' ticket promotion and the season-long Adopt-a-School Program.
For every regular and playoff CIHL game, RBC will sponsor a school and provide 30 complimentary tickets for deserving students.

RBC is passionately committed to growing hockey from the grassroots level, through the RBC Play Hockey program in Canada and the United States and our partnerships with Hockey Canada, USA Hockey and the Hockey Hall of Fame. From the pond to the podium and from the early morning practices to the Saturday night game - RBC is proud to support the hard work and dedication that helps hockey happen.

For more information, please contact:
Gregory Smyth, CIHL, greg ( @ ) cihl dot com

http://www.cihl.com

###

Visit Cihl Website

space