Cardiff Devils MD Todd Kelman has revealed the ice hockey team’s corporate vision for the 2020/21 season.

The dedicated event saw business leaders from across the region gather at the Viola Arena in Cardiff to hear Mr Kelman’s future plans.

It follows the organisation’s most successful corporate season to date, which saw the Cardiff Devils attract sponsorship deals from brands including Peacocks, Viola, Molson Coors, Radisson Blu, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Lexis Nexis, Amber Energy and Niche Sport & Finance.

Mr Kelman plans to focus heavily on digital presence and community programmes next season. The focus on digital presence is based on stats that show significant growth, outreach and positive sentiment following the team’s on-ice success in recent years.

Next season will see the team become more visible within the local community with three dedicated programmes aimed at children. The focus of these initiatives will be education, health and anti-bullying, and will be rolled out across nominated schools and youth groups across South Wales.

Speaking about the new focus, Mr Kelman said:

We want to ensure we are having a positive impact on the community that supports this club and this arena. I have a team of role models that deliver these programmes and we want to ensure we are using our standing in the city in a positive and impactful way.

The team has built a reputation for success on the ice, amassing a total of seven trophies and two BBC Sport Wales Team of the Year Awards under Mr Kelman’s management. But behind the scenes, the MD is mirroring the team’s success with his innovative corporate approach.

This includes a recent restructure of the off-ice team, and redefining the organisation’s core mission, vision and values to stay current and in-line with those of the fans and corporate partners. These changes have resulted in enhanced audience engagement, sold-out home games at the Viola Arena nearly every weekend, and a big increase in new Cardiff Devils season ticket sales.

Over the last five years, the hands-on MD and his team have also increased sponsorship revenue by 300%.

More details about the Cardiff Devils’ corporate plans for next season will follow in due course.