There is ticket chaos ahead of Saturday’s CHL Final.
Almost 1000 Tappara fans bought tickets for the final and some bought at the H stand where the local fans stand.
– Lulea struggled and tried to rearrange ticket purchases, says Mika Arrow, CEO of Tappara.
On Saturday, the Champions Hockey League final will be decided.
Luleå mot Tappara från hockeytokiga Tammerfors. Och finalen spelas i Luleå since Luleå is ranked higher than Tappara efter grundserien.
Luleå has won before in the CHL, but Tappara has not.
– We have won 18 Finnish championships, but we have not achieved any European titles. We were in last season, but we lost to Rogl. Our long-term planning and goals include proving to Europe that we are a good hockey club,” says Mika Arrow, CEO of Tappara.
I bought on Lulea’s website
There was a lot of interest in the final, especially from Tabara’s side.
– Yes, if the final had taken place in Tampere, we would have sold out the arena (13,455 spectators), I think so. We sell to our local competitor Ilves and interest in CHL has grown every year. We’ve really been through the eight years that CHL has been around, says Aru.
Tappara first received 500 tickets for the final, which they distributed themselves. But they ran out in a flash. Creative Tappara fans then got their own tickets via the Luleå website and about 200 Finns booked themselves into the H stand, where Luleå fans have their home and castle. A combination that was not very successful.
– According to all the permits we have, of course mixing supporters is strictly prohibited and that means they have to buy back their tickets, says Stefan Enbom, CEO of Luleå, about the situation for NSD.
New remote record
Now Luleå, CHL and Tappara have bought standing room tickets from Tappara fans and are trying by all means to move them to other areas and sections of the arena.
– Tickets have been rearranged, among other things, CHL helped here by sending central tickets to our fans. In total, I think we can get close to 1,000 Tappara fans in Luleå and that’s an away record for us in the CHL. There weren’t many of us in Angelholm a year ago, Arrow says.
The CHL Finals has ramped up every year, especially the money promotions. It’s a long way from his football counterpart, of course.
However, the winner of Saturday’s match will receive around SEK 3.5 million.
– If we win the final, we go plus. But we’re making the most profit by marketing Tappara in Europe and proving to be successful,” says Aro.