Ralf Uhding, who is a Board of Director for both USA Team Handball and the German Bundesliga (HBL) has been quoted in the German Financial Newspaper, Handelsblatt that bold plans to establish a professional league in the U.S is in development. Working with Dieter Esch, USA Team Handball President, they have gotten interest from both Google and Facebook and are still searching for more investors. Further talks will wait till October after the Olympic vote. Chicago being selected is seen as a key aspect of the project, but it is not explicitly stated that the entire effort hinges upon its selection.

The article goes on to say that Uhding and Esch realize that it is an enormous and difficult project and that they hope not to repeat the mistake of soccer in the 70’s when a pro league, absent a parallel grassroots effort, ended in failure. One model under consideration is working with universities to establish scholarships for handball to develop more athletes.

Handelsblatt: Handball aims at the U.S. market: http://www.handelsblatt.com/journal/sonstiges/handballer-zielen-auf-den-us-markt;2460717