The very first F-liiga Draft is getting closer as all the 12 clubs in the men’s league have agreed on the terms by signing the Draft contract. The Draft event is held at the Bläk Boks Arena on the May 17th and all the F-liiga clubs will be represented at the event.
– F-liiga Draft is an awesome step from Finland as a top floorball country. As a result of the Draft launched, we really wish to attract international talents to play at F-liiga. This is a great way to show that F-liiga clubs are ready to work together and be part of the development of F-liiga by agreeing on the terms of the Draft, the CEO of F-liiga, Kimmo Nurminen says.
How does the Draft work?
There will be three rounds at the F-liiga Draft. This means that every club picks three players and the pick order is set by the final results of the season 2022-2023. The first team to pick is the weakest team in the season 2022-2023 results and the Finnish Champion will make the last pick on every round.
The Draft is only for foreign players and all the teams have agreed on picking at least one player who is not a citizen of Sweden, Switzerland, or the Czech Republic. If the player has also a citizenship other than one of these three countries (dual citizenship, other than Finnish), the player is considered as a citizen of this country.
The draft doesn’t concern Finnish players or players who have played at F-liiga, Inssi-Divari (the second highest league in Finland) or at the highest junior league level (P22) minimum of 10 matches during the latest season.
If the club has made a contract with a player eligible at the Draft before the April 30th, the club has an exclusive right to pick this player at the next Draft. The clubs are obligated to inform F-liiga about the player contracts finalized before 30.4.2023 for the players that are possible picks.
The players picked must be at least 18 years old by the time of the Draft (17.5.20203). On the other end, the players can turn 22 years during the year of the draft. The players picked must have valid a license to compete in floorball at present.
The players drafted in 2023 are born in 2001 or later.
What does it mean when the player is picked?
The pick is valid for each picked player for four years. However, the pick is no longer valid when the player turns 24 years. After the pick, the club must contact the player by end of June.
The clubs have agreed on standard payments if a player is signed by another club than the one the player was originally picked by. However, instead of the financial compensation, the club that has signed the player can give up their upcoming pick turns if the clubs agree on the arrangement.
In case the team drops down to the second highest league (Inssi-Divari), the picks are still valid. If this is the case, the other clubs are, however, allowed to sign these players without the compensation demand. The demand becomes valid immediately, when the club again ensures the spot again at F-liiga.
If picked player is signed and plays at least 10 matches at F-liiga, F-liiga will reward the club with a bonus agreed in the contract.
Q&A with F-liiga CEO, Kimmo Nurminen
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– Our goal is to ensure that all the talents are able to play at F-liiga and a Finnish citizenship shouldn’t limit this, if the player has also another citizenship. Certain terms have been set that take into account the player’s current club and also if the player with dual citizenship already plays at F-liiga.
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– The Draft is not meant to restrict player transfers and the players themselves of course have the best knowledge to consider their career steps. In the Draft contract the clubs have agreed on the terms for the talented player to transfer to a club other than the one originally picked the player.
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– F-liiga clubs are able to negotiate for the pick turns with another club. However, every club must have at least one pick turn at the Draft event.
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– The clubs determine the best way to contact the players, but F-liiga of course helps the clubs in the process. In the Draft contract, the clubs have committed to the procedures after the Draft event.
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– The main goal of the Talent Hunt process is to make Finland’s top league, F-liiga a tempting option for the international talents. The picks are valid four seasons. However, the pick is no longer valid when the player turns 24 years. At this point, the intermational transfers are no longer under the Draft contract.
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- The details of the contract are under confidentiality agreement but the goal is to encourage clubs to find international talents so that eventually the process would lead to player contracts. If picked player is signed and plays at least 10 matches at F-liiga, will F-liiga reward the club with a bonus agreed in the contract.
