You have to experience MS! A sentence that is not just a phrase. The Czech Republic loves hockey and breaks records

COMMENTARY – The World Hockey Championship in the Czech Republic is slowly entering its knockout phase. But we can already say with a clear conscience that the whole event was organized in a perfect way. In short, the World Championship is truly at home in the Czech Republic. The proof of this will be the new record set, which will be virtually unbeatable for many years to come.

The whole championship could be described as one long seventeen-day hockey festival. With all the trimmings. It all starts, of course, with the huge interest, and not just in the Czech games. In the preliminary groups alone, fans sold out 22 games. That in itself is unique, unparalleled on the European stage.

The Nordic countries are out of reach and expensive for many visitors. Not even Switzerland comes cheapest in the centre of Europe. Elsewhere, the capacity of the halls is poor. The Finns and Latvians have been wiped out by Covid. Even two host countries of one championship don’t always have such a magical effect.

And so the only record holder of the last decade is the Czech Republic. In 2015, the fans in the heart of Europe set a record, which they will now symbolically push even further themselves. That is almost certain.

Hockey as a festival and the “expensive” beer is flowing

Not only is the Czech Republic strategically perfectly placed in the middle of the continent. There are many more reasons why the championship attracts so many visitors. Apart from the travel distance, it’s the prices. Even a Canadian fan will tell you that he would rather go to the Czech Republic for a cheap holiday than to Sweden.

For Nordic visitors, too, a trip to our country is like a trip to a cheap region. Beer, food, accommodation… It’s all cheap compared to their prices. Even though the local merchants around the arenas have jacked up the prices more.

The talk before the championship was a pint of Pilsner beer in the fanzone for 110 CZK. Yes, a bit expensive by Czech standards, but still a very cheap affair for the crowds of foreign tourists. And when it came to breaking bread, believe me, more than one Czech fan paid that money for a beer.

You could say that the fanzones themselves are the pride of the whole championship. Huge big screens with a great picture. The entrance is open to the public, so during the matches it is crowded almost all the time. But the real party only happens when there’s a break between games.

The World Cup is not just about hockey

A bunch of decibels from one of the bands or DJs start flowing into the speakers. There’s dancing in the beer tent, dancing outside on the tables. In jerseys, costumes, whatever. A festival as it should be. Sometimes you’re almost not even sure you’re still at the hockey. Attending one of the games doesn’t begin with the opening bullpen and end with the final siren. You get much more for attending a hockey game.

But if you don’t have a ticket to a hockey game, it’s still worth visiting the Fanzone. You’ll experience a unique atmosphere and you’ll still be able to connect with hockey. Better than sitting at home in front of the TV, take poison for that.

Already nine years ago, IIHF officials said that the fanzones at the World Championship in the Czech Republic would serve as an example of what it should look like for years to come. I think this year the organizers will get a standing ovation from the IIHF again.

Hockey is crowded, the only drawback is the heat

Ice hockey is a winter sport, but for the reasons mentioned above, the spring term is actually a perfect symbiosis. From a fan’s point of view, definitely. Moreover, the weather this year is really exceptionally favourable for the organisers. As a result, fans are spending more time in the fanzone, which also increases profits. Whether it’s selling beer or souvenirs, everyone makes money.

But if there’s anywhere where the high temperatures are having a negative impact, it’s in the arenas. For spectators on the higher floors of the arenas, the situation is not exactly comfortable. I am one of those uniquely lucky people who had the honour of attending the hockey championships in Prague and Ostrava. And in both cases I worked up quite a sweat. The higher you go, the hotter it gets.

When the second or third game is played in the arenas on the same day, the more the temperature rises. The high attendance doesn’t help the whole problem. Holt, even the positives take their toll.

It’s also an uncomfortable situation for the players. Especially in Ostrava, the hockey players are experiencing very uncomfortable temperatures and have to pay more attention to their drinking regime than usual. Latvian goalkeeper Kristers Gudlevskis even lost seven kilograms and had to undergo an infusion in hospital after the game against Slovakia.

Electrifying atmosphere

Otherwise, there is not much negative to be found at this year’s championship. Some fans complain that it is virtually impossible to buy high-quality original national team jerseys at the venue. However, this blame goes more to the head of the Czech Hockey Federation. Otherwise, there is a great demand for souvenirs. For example, the popular plush mascots Bob and Bobek managed to sell out in a few days.

As for watching the hockey itself, fans enjoy a great atmosphere there. And that’s not just true of the Czech team’s games. Overseas media also write about the atmosphere at these games in superlatives. The chant “who doesn’t jump, isn’t Czech” fascinates even the fans of the NHL. For them too, a visit to the championship in the Czech Republic is an experience.

But fans of other teams can also create a great atmosphere. The Ostrava arena was taken over by Slovak fans, while the Latvians, Germans and Poles also made up a boisterous backdrop. In Prague, we can hear the loud chants of Swiss fans.

All in all, a visit to the World Championships is a real treat for the fans. Everyone will tell you that you have to experience it to understand it. It’s not a platitude, it’s a bare fact.

There aren’t many matches left of this amazing event, but you can still buy tickets for the knockout matches. If you have an extra thousand in your bank account, definitely consider it. Or at the very least, get a taste of the fanzone atmosphere, it’s an experience in itself.

It is truly an extraordinary experience that a fan in our country can experience about once every ten years. Czechs simply love hockey, the World Cup is undeniable proof of that.

Source: Ice Hockey World Championship 2024