Many credit organizations provide support to various social or socially significant projects, including sport projects. It is especially important when the main sports event of the year is anticipated. Vasily KORNEV, the chairman of AGROPROMCREDIT bank, told about the history of cooperation between the bank and Avtomobilist hockey club (Yekaterinburg) in NBJ interview.

NBJ: Vasily Alexandrovich, it's a wellknown fact that credit institutions often act as patrons and sponsors of social projects or provide money for charity without any public presentation of this fact. And what is the reason of your bank interest towards hockey?

V. KORNEV: Hockey in our country is traditionally popular, but now it has obtained some additional incentives for the development due to the Continental Hockey League (KHL) and the support of the country's top leadership.

My interest in hockey and Avtomobilist HC is not occasional one. I was born in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg), and since the beginning of the 80s I am a fan of Avtomobilist HC, a club with a rich history and the hockey symbol of Sverdlovsk region. Besides I went to hockey trainings myself when I was a child. My father inspired me for this sport. All hockey players in Sverdlovsk dreamed of playing in their favorite Avtomobilist. Alas, not all children turned their dreams into reality, but it is impossible to quit hockey! I still go to the hockey pitch as a central striker in veteran and amateur tournaments in Moscow.

Hockey became a sponsor and social project for our bank in 2010. At that time the Second International tournament for children hockey World Junior Champions Cup 1995, 2000 was held in Moscow. This tournament was sponsored by Agropromcredit bank. Together with the organizers of the tournament (Legends of USSR Hockey hockey club and Victor Kuzkin Fund for Support and Development of amateur hockey, Moscow government and Moscow Hockey Federation) we have chosen the best players of the tournament. They were six children from different regions. We are keeping track of their development and we are pleased to note that they are still playing hockey.

NBJ: Apparently, the sponsorship of professional hockey club was the logical continuation of this interest in hockey?

V. KORNEV: Yes, in 2012 AGROPROMCREDIT bank took part in INNOPROM exhibition (Yekaterinburg), where the credit institution shareholders reached the agreement with the management of the Sverdlovsk region in the matter of sponsorship provision for Avtomobilist HC.

We decided that the project may be interesting and useful for the bank's business development in the Ural Federal District.

NBJ: What was the club condition when the bank took part in this project?

V. KORNEV: First we took part in the project as sponsors, and six months later as the members of the guardian board. I cannot compare the state of Avtomobilist HC infrastructure with the infrastructures of other hockey clubs, but in terms of athletic performance the club firmly took the last place. The sport and organizational factors were in a poor state.

First of all, the guardian board and the club founders changed the management structure. The powers and functional were clearly divided, personnel changes were made, the club president was elected. The following management technologies which are normal for transparent organizations were introduced: budgeting, tenders for services, procurement. A motivation, result-oriented system was approved. The things went better in sports, as professionals were involved in the club and managers performed their functions without interfering with other people's competence.

It should be noted that the initiative to rescue the club belongs to the Sverdlovsk region governor Yevgeny Vladimirovich Kuyvashev.

NBJ: Is there any similarity between the bank and the sports team management?

V. KORNEV: The amount of money is important as in banking business, so as in hockey, but the quality and efficiency of investment placement is of crucial importance. I would also add that a lucrative asset is a good reputation for the bank and for the hockey club.

Bank employees support the club comprehensively by advice and by deed and probably they are its most ardent fans now. We developed a new ticket program for the club on the basis of sales analysis. During the last season attendance of Avtomobilist HC matches was 68%, this year it made 90%. The prices were reduced, while revenues in­creased.

The most important thing is to make team win. By volume of Russian teams financing Avtomobilist HC is far from the first places, but it shows a great hockey and can compete for good hockey results.

NBJ: Does the bank interfere in sports component?

V. KORNEV: The general manager L.V. Vaysfeld is accountable for club training. It is a known expert, a professional. He does not give out bank loans, and we do not train hockey players.

NBJ: What happens next?

V. KORNEV: Our agreement was signed for three years. The club has a development strategy and the foundation for new sponsor attraction in the future. The more often the club will win, the more people will want to become its sponsor. The revenues of the club will be growing. In the near future, together with the club the bank will issue a fan card. This will also assist the promotion of the credit institution in the region. So everything should be fine.

It is very important that we see the support and the interest on the part of the region governor E.V. Kuyvashev, as well as on the part of financial and sports management of the region. Without these trends the club will not survive and won't be developed. The bank acting as the title sponsor stabilizes the financial position of the club and helps him develop its work systematically with its financial support. The support of other club sponsors: Gazprombank OJSC and IDGC of Urals OJSC is equally important.

NBJ: What benefits does the bank get participating in this project?

V. KORNEV: Sverdlovsk region is one of the key regions in the branch network of our bank, increasingly asserting itself as one of the most promising Russian territories every year. Due to the sponsorship of Avtomobilist HC we reached a certain segment of a loyal audience, which can serve as the basis for our loan and deposit products promotion. We got the inflow of wealthy depositary clients and attractive target group for lending.

NBJ: Let's talk again about the sports component: is there any return from the project for the Russian team?

V. KORNEV: Some players of Avtomobilist HC pretend to take place on the main arena of the world sports as the members of other country teams. The task of the club is to prepare the Russian team participants for the next Winter Olympics. It is important that the club raised his players to maintain the prestige of the Russian hockey.

NBJ: Does Avtomobilist HC have a private school?

V. KORNEV: Yes, and the residents of Yekaterinburg train there their children with pleasure. Hockey is a collective, comprehensive and intellectual sport. Our task is to support the further development of hockey at all levels - amateur and professional - and it is long overdue and the state, public and business are actively involved in its implementation. Our bank is also involved in problem solution and we consider this involvement as a great honor.

NBJ: During the last season the team took the last place. What are goals for the season at Avtomobilist HC?

V. KORNEV: I would say that the task of the team is to reach the playoffs. But I think that it's not a real task for a true sport. We should talk about every game and trophies winning. And then victories will be ours.