Coach Stefansson at training session with Reykjavic’s Valur Club

Commentary:  Outside of handball’s stronghold in Europe only the occasional story ever gets published in mainstream news outlets.  Case in point, you would find nothing about the Brazilian women’s World Championship title run in American news outlets.  Recent stories by CNN International and the Dallas Morning News are the exception and bizarrely they both highlight playing handball with makeshift balls made out of socks.

1) VIDEO:  Iceland’s Olafur Stefansson featured on CNN’s Human to Hero series.  The 3 minute feature on Iceland’s retired star discusses his playing career and his current role as coach of Iceland’s Valur club.
CNN: Iceland’s Handball Hero: Link
CNN VIDEO: Link

2) Dallas Stars Hockey club plays street handball.  Lacking a rink, the NHL’s Dallas Stars played team handball outside their hotel in Los Angeles as a team building exercise.
Dallas Morning News: With rink unavailable, Stars instead practice with handball game in LA streets: Link

3) Al Jazeera buys IHF TV Rights for 2014-2017.  Al Jazeera reportedly will pay $110M for the rights to IHF Championships through 2017.  This is a 64% increase over the $67M paid by UFA for the 2010-2013 TV Rights.
Inside the Games: Link

4) USA Team Handball announces Dr. Harvey Schiller as its new Board President.  On 20 December the 9 member board elected the former USOC Executive Director as its new President.  Dr. Schiller is easily the most high profile President USA Team Handball has ever had and his election could help raise the profile of the sport in the U.S.
USATH Press Release: Link
Inside the Games: Link
Sports Business Daily: Link
THN Commentary on new Board Members: Link