Hockey HIFK’s CEO Jukka Valtanen on the extension of restrictions: “Everyone understands that this is drastic”

Extensions of the restrictions mean the League will be played without an audience at least until the end of January.

Hockey The league is getting very cramped. Clubs will have to play in empty stands, matches will be postponed due to corona infections and restrictions will be extended.

For the time being, the audience restrictions are in effect until January 10, but the metropolitan corona working group is proposing a two-week extension.

Patience in league clubs gets tough. The pubs are allowed to sell beer during the day and sharpen the snacks, but spectators are not allowed in the ice rink for more than 8,000 people.

“This is really hard for league clubs when there are such hard foundations two years ago. I didn’t even have time to recover when everyone was hit, ”said HIFK Hockey’s CEO Jukka Valtanen said to HS.

“Everyone understands this is drastic.”

Valtanen emphasizes that, in parallel with the restrictions, promises were made to put the support systems in order.

“It really is hoped that will happen. So far nothing has been heard. ”

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HIFK is one of the biggest in the League. The budget is one of the largest and, accordingly, spending is top notch.

According to Valtanen’s estimates, the income from one match alone varies slightly from 150,000 to 200,000 euros, depending on the game.

If the restrictions extend from January 10 for two weeks, HIFK will play four home games during that time.

The money lost as viewer revenue drops to a million when there are TPS and Tappara games waiting, where viewership numbers could easily rise to over 7,000.

League managing director Riku Kallioniemi is very disappointed with the strict restrictions and in particular he is considering a two – week extension.

“From our point of view, it means that it will take a stand on the disease situation in a month’s time,” Kallioniemi said.

“Should it happen that the disease situation is turning for the better, it is reasonable to expect that the restrictions will be lifted quickly.”

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League clubs have been practicing responsible spectator behavior for almost two years, but still everyone was caught.

“Is this correct and reasonable.”

HIFK made a loss of 729,000 euros last year and 616,000 euros a year earlier.

The readings are so extensive that they feel even in a large company. The attacks have been severe as HIFK Hockey’s turnover fell from more than ten million in two years to 5.2 million.

There are clubs in the league that are in even worse difficulty than HIFK in terms of size.

Is there a danger that clubs will fail, League CEO Kallioniemi?

“Of course there is danger. It is easy to get the event industry down by putting one industry from 100 to zero. ”

The Coronavirus cut off the league’s regular season in March 2020. Last season was sometimes crowded, sometimes the season was interrupted and played for a long time without a crowd.

At the same time, this season, which had time to turn towards 2022, seems to be going well.

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“This has been one struggle for survival. Certainly the situation in the clubs has been getting worse all the time, ”Kallioniemi said.

It is very bad for the development of the sport and the development of young people that the Junior Championship League may have to be suspended. Training is allowed for professional athletes, but those in their twenties are not yet professionals.

Restrictions for young people vary from place to place.

The next round of the league will be played on Wednesday: at 5 pm Kärpät – Ilves, at 5 pm SaiPa – HPK and at 6.30 pm HIFK – JYP. Cmore shows the matches live.

Read more: New corona restrictions lead to gimmicks again: league matches are brought forward to keep the fences open – “It’s not done so that the liquor flows”

Read more: Strict requirement from players’ association: Salaries must no longer be cut – “Life and games must continue”

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