Austrian Top Men’s clubs founded their own Association

Eight Austrian men’s national volleyball league clubs (Hypo Tirol Volleyballteam, SK Zadruga Aich/Dob, TJ Sokol V/Post SV Wien, Union Volleyball Raiffeisen Waldviertel, UVC Weberzeile Ried, VBC TLC Weiz, VBK Wörtherseelöwen Klagenfurt, VCA Amstetten Niederösterreich) unanimously approved the founding of the ” Volleyball-Bundesliga” (VBL) association. Peter Kirchmayr was elected the first president of the new association, while Karl Hanzl, Michael Henschke and Martin Micheu are his deputies. Johann Huber, Hannes Kronthaler, Wolfgang Puttinger and Gernot Schoberer were elected as auditors.

Peter Kirchmayr, Karl Hanzl and an external consultant Markus Kraetschmer were nominated to a negotiating team for further negotiations now necessary with the official bodies like the Austrian Volleyball Federation and its regional associations.

The goal of the association is to actively contribute to the positive overall development of Austrian volleyball. As a first step, the VBL sees the independent organisation of the 1st men’s volleyball national league starting already with the 2022/23 season. Furthermore, the offer is also extended to the clubs of the 1st women’s national league, as well as clubs both of the 2nd national leagues.

President Kirchmayr in a first statement: “I am pleased that in this crucial step for volleyball in Austria as many as eight clubs are involved as founders from the very beginning. I would also like to thank the chairmen of the clubs for the trust shown to represent the VBL to the outside world.”

Markus Kraetschmer, who with his company MK Consulting GmbH acts as a consultant, adds: “A very, very exciting project – I am pleased that on the one hand I can work on a very visionary development and on the other hand that I can use my extensive experience of work with associations and leagues in other sports!”