Cornèr Arena: the home of Hockey Club Lugano until 2039

At the season-opening press conference held this morning at the Casetta Gialla in Porza, Hockey Club Lugano and Cornèr Bank announced the extension of their naming rights agreement for the arena. As HCL’s historic first Arena Partner since 2018, Cornèr Bank SA, founded in 1952, has renewed its generous commitment for a further fourteen seasons. Until 2039, the venue hosting the games and training sessions of the first team as well as the activities of the Youth Section will therefore continue to be called Cornèr Arena.

Club President Vicky Mantegazza commented on this milestone for the future of the club:

“I am truly delighted that Cornèr Bank, an international institution but for generations rooted in the Lugano area where it employs over one thousand people, has decided to renew its trust in Hockey Club Lugano for such a long period. Since 2018 our collaboration has grown and evolved. Beyond the naming rights, brand visibility and cashless system, the synergies also include benefits on credit cards for season ticket holders and a major annual event such as Cornèr Kids on Ice, which involves hundreds of children from all over Switzerland.”

Cornèr Bank CEO Ing. Vittorio Cornaro added:

“My heart has been beating for Hockey Club Lugano since my teenage years, but the decision to extend the partnership goes well beyond emotions. We are extremely satisfied with how the collaboration has developed over the first seven years. We highly appreciate the professionalism we witness every day. With this new long-term agreement we are proud to reaffirm our closeness to the region where our bank has its historic roots.”

The press conference opened with remarks by Vicky Mantegazza, on the eve of her fifteenth season as President of the club. She outlined the future of HCL, reaffirming her personal commitment while acknowledging that today’s National League context requires very significant financial resources. Mantegazza reiterated her openness to new people and investors who, together with the current management, would like to keep the first team competitive while ensuring a solid future for the entire club.

CEO Marco Werder focused on the four main revenue pillars the club can most influence.

In the Food & Beverage sector (Club’41 restaurant, Lounges and Casetta Gialla), HCL can serve dinner on game nights to 425 people – about 50% below the National League average. This results in an estimated disadvantage of CHF 700,000 in revenues per season compared to competitors. The challenge is to diversify the offering, particularly with a Street Food Festival outside the arena.

A cornerstone for both present and future is Hospitality, appreciated thanks to the food and wine quality of partners Gabbani and Borgovecchio. New projects are being evaluated to meet rising demand. Currently, the 344 Lounge seats have a 93% occupancy rate.

This season is marked by an important innovation in Ticketing: the introduction of the digital season card. Fans can now save their season ticket on their smartphone and transfer it to another person with just a few clicks if absent – a big step forward in technology, fan experience and, hopefully, arena attendance. Ticketing is the revenue pillar with the greatest growth potential. One week before the first league game, HCL thanks its 3,807 season ticket holders, a renewal rate of 95% compared to the same stage of last season.

The most satisfying area today is Sponsorship. By networking complementary sectors, the Hockey Club Lugano brand proves to be a successful commercial platform for companies. This is evidenced by the three-year extension of the agreement with Gold Sponsor Winteler Mercedes AMG and the entry into Swiss hockey through the HCL family of two international brands, Var Group and Giuseppe Citterio.

Closing the event, General Manager Janick Steinmann expressed satisfaction with the quality of the new coaching staff’s work and the team spirit being built. Preseason team-building activities have initiated the implementation of a new performance culture, a key factor for growth. It is a process that requires daily care and patience. After finishing 13th in the last Regular Season, HCL’s sporting objective is to develop and improve step by step in order to return to the playoffs.

About Cornèr Group

The Cornèr Group is a Swiss private and independent banking group offering universal banking services. Founded in 1952 in Lugano – Switzerland’s third-largest financial center after Zurich and Geneva – it specializes in Private Banking, financing, credit and payment cards (Visa, Mastercard and Diners Club – Cornèrcard), and online trading (Cornèrtrader). The Group consists of Cornèr Bank SA (Lugano), its branches in Chiasso, Geneva, Locarno, Zurich and Guernsey, and its affiliates Cornèr Bank (Overseas) Limited, Cornèr Europe SA, Finpromotion SA and Allegra Vermögensverwaltungs AG.

More info: cornergroup.ch

Press contact: Eva Maria Cioffi – [email protected] // +41 91 800 44 53