Fans react to Open Air Hockey in Pardubice

"The cost for us it is a pretty decent risk. But since we assume a great response and especially from our great fans, we see an event like this as a gift to the people."

That's what Pardubice General Manager Zbyněk Kusy said back on November 11, when Open Air Hockey 2011 was in its planning stages. On Sunday, we saw that planning come to fruition when Eaton Pardubice defeated Kometa Brno 4-2 before 17,140 fans outdoors at Pardubice-Svítkov Speeday. It was the first outdoor professional hockey game ever played in the Czech Republic.

Was it a gift to the people? What did Pardubice's great fans think of this unique spectacle on January 2? Some who attended put their thoughts into words:

I had standing ticket and that became the first nice surprise - I saw perfectly! The rink wasn't as far as I thought it was going to be. In the beginning of the game I was a little disapointed by the number of people who came but all the fans who showed up were so alive and excited that it didn't matter. 17 thousand is a lovely number. We didn't really trust the stability of the construction but it turned out well, even when we were jumping. (Just for fun, we counted the stairs - 98 exactly.) A snow storm came during the first period and I didn't feel my toes the whole game but I think these things kind of belong to it so I didn't mind.


Brno fans can be very loud - and they were loud. But I could barely hear them after Pardubice tied the game.


The organization was good, as well as the possibilities to buy some food (sausages, noodles and some Czech/Slovak specialties such as halušky or trdelník) or something to drink (tea, beer, rum, hot pear juice, etc.). Prices were acceptable. Buses and trains to Svítkov and back to the city were free.


There was, I think, only one negative aspect - the visitors, who spent more money for seating tickets (600 - 5000 CZK) in order to see the match better, had a worse view than than the fans in the standing area had (500 CZK).


All in all - Open Air Game in Pardubice was amazing. Everyone left Svítkov feeling a part of something special. I don't know if doing this every year would be a good idea but it was definitely the best hockey experince I've ever had. If you ever have a chance to go to an outdoor game, don't hesitate.

- Lada Černohousová, Pardubice

Another wrote and posted the accompanying photo in a blog post titled "Open Air Game: aka Winter Classic in Czech stlyle":

During the 1st period started a little snow storm but since the second the weather went much better and the score as well . :) The Kometa fans were very loud in the first period (much louder than home fans, I must admit) but since the moment when Pardubice scored for the first time they only kept silence.


Unfortunately, I could only see half of the rink because of the tower with a TV cameraman. But there were a screen above the rink so I didn't mind it. The match was a good experience and at least now I know that I have to wear at least two pairs of socks for outdoor matches, lol.
Of course, I was frozen a bit. No, I didn't mind ;)


We spent the first period in the standing sector and.. yes, there was the best view. Seriously. And it snowed, like a lot.


Second and third periods we went to our seats and .. were freezing. :) It stopped snowing and Pardubice tied the game but well, sitting on a cold bench is not the best thing you can do.


I didn't take many photos, because it's hard to handle a touch screen while you are wearing your gloves. (You all should call me the boss of excuses.)


PS: If you heard me saying I'm not visiting the game, yeah, I was resolved not to go. But is there anyone who would refuse a ticket with 75% of the price off? I don't think so :) (Wanted to show you my ticket but.. I didn't close my bottle of water enough, oops.)

- Susanne Towy, Pardubice

Additionally, many fans of both the Pardubice and Brno clubs have posted homemade videos on YouTube:

If you missed the game but would like to see it, it is available online, in its entirety at:

http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/ivysilani/211471290130058-hokej/?streamtype=WM3.

Pardubice wins Open Air game at home

HC Eaton Pardubice, on what was their home ice for one day, erased a 2-0 deficit and beat Kometa Brno 4-2 in a historic game for hockey in the Czech Republic.

Only five weeks after announcing grand plans to stage the first-ever outdoor professional hockey game in the Czech Republic, the two teams took to the ice at Pardubice-Svítkov Speedway, which is normally a course for motorcycle racing.

Action during the Legends Game. Photo: Jan Jedlička, hcpce.cz.

The day began at 10:00, with a legends game, made up of two teams composed of former greats who played for the Pardubice and Brno clubs. Perhaps the most recognizable name to North Americans to participate in this game was Vladimír Martinec, who starred for the Czechoslovakian team that made a memorable showing at the 1976 Canada Cup. He scored in the third period to give Pardubice a 3-2 lead, but Brno later tied it and the contest ended in a 3-3 tie. "Today's outcome isn't significant," he said. "Nobody got hurt and we had a great time playing . . .  It was good. The weather was nice, not freezing too much. It worked great."

While the sun was out when the legends began to play, it started to snow before they were finished. By the time the main event began at 12:30, the teams were playing in driving snow. The conditions were favourable to Brno, who had the wind at their backs and the snow blowing into the face of Pardubice goaltender Adam Svoboda. The visitors held the run of the play in the first period and scored two goals; Marek Kvapil and Roman Erat doing the damage. The two teams began the game wearing vintage sweaters from past editions of their teams. After the game, Svoboda commented, "The first period was not very good. We played upwind in a blizzard. I was looking through one eye because everything blew into my face. When five centimetres (of snow) falls, you can't see the puck."

Second period faceoff. Photo: Jan Jedlička, hcpce.cz.

When the two clubs took to the ice for the second period, it appeared to be a whole new game. The snow had stopped and the teams were wearing their regular sweaters, the latter move likely to appease the advertisers. As well, Martin Růžička took over from Svoboda in the Pardubice goal, and he was perfect the rest of the way. Rastislav Špirko tipped a one-time drive from Václav Kočí past goaltender Jiří Trvaj and Pardubice was on the board. This wasn't Špirko's first appearance in an outdoor game. He played for Slovakia in an outdoor exhibition game in the Swiss Alps two years ago. Pardubice struck twice more before the middle frame was half finished, first Jan Starý and then Martin Bartek on a routine shot that Trvaj misplayed. Late in the second period, the sun came out, and the frozen spectators certainly welcomed that.

In the third period, Radek Dlouhý had the opportunity to tie the score on a penalty shot, but he was denied by Růžička. Starý scored his second of the game into an empty net, and Pardubice had the 4-2 win.

There was one North American playing in this game. Holyoke, MA's Adam Pineault played on Pardubice's fourth forward line, seeing limited action. Their other American, Jeff Jillson of North Smithfield, RI, was scratched from the lineup for the third straight game. 

Though the rink in the middle of the large track didn't afford the fans the best sightlines, and the heavy snowfall during the first period made things even more difficult, the crowd was definitely into the game. The chanting and singing in the style of European football fans gave it an atmosphere that is distinct from when these sorts of games are staged in North America.

Though the crowd of 17,140 established a new record for the Czech Extraliga, it did not break the record for largest hockey crowd to ever see the game in what is now the Czech Republic. That record still stands at 18,500 for the grand opening of Sportovní hala in Prague (now TESLA Arena) in the Czechoslovakian First League. A team from Brno was also visiting on that day; ZKL Brno visited Spartak Sokolov. The stadium for Sunday's game was configured to accommodate up to 25,000, and it was hoped that capacity would be reached. The previous record for the Extraliga was from the seventh game of the 2008 Finals, when 17,123 filled Sazka Arena (now O2 Arena) to watch Slavia Praha defeat Energie Karlovy Vary and claim the championship.

"Its true that we are a bit sad that there werent more, but this is good for us," Pardubice General Manager Zbyněk Kusy said of the crowd. "We are pleased that we were able to welcome over seventeen thousand spectators. Getting more people, it probably isn't likely in the Czech Republic right now."

Among the reasons some fans gave for the lower-than-expected turnout were the high ticket prices and the lack of any marquee names playing in the game. Tickets ranged in price from CZK 450 to 1000 (approximately USD 24 to 53). Ticket prices in the Extraliga are usually in the range of CZK 100 to 300.

The win moved Pardubice into a three-way tie for second place in the Extraliga standings. The tie is only temporary, however, as the other two tied clubs, Oceláři Třinec and Bílí Tigři Liberec, will take to the ice against each other later on Sunday.

More photos from the event can be found here:

http://www.hcpce.cz/fotogalerie.asp

Pardubice wins big in last game before hosting Brno outdoors

With all the excitement of the World Junior Championships and the Spengler Cup, the Tipsport Extraliga has continued along in the week between Christmas and New Year's, with most teams playing three times in that span.

Martin Bartek and the rest of Eaton Pardubice had a relatively easy
time against Slavia Praha on Thursday. Photo: Martin Prokop,
hc-slavia.cz.

The last day of play before the new year was Thursday, with a slate of five games. Highlighting it was a visit by Eaton Pardubice to O2 Arena in Prague, where they took on Slavia Praha. For Pardubice, it was the last game before the highly anticipated outdoor game, which will take place on Sunday against Kometa Brno at Pardubice-Svítkov Speedway.

If Slavia thought they would be able to catch their visitors distracted about the upcoming spectacle, they were dead wrong. Pardubice jumped out to a 3-0 lead after 11 minutes and cruised to a 5-1 victory. They were led by two goals and an assist from Martin Bartek and three assists from Radovan Somík.

The other participants in Sunday's outdoor contest, Kometa Brno, were also winners on Thursday, though they took home only two points, beating Vítkovice Steel 3-2 in a shootout.

Despite the loss, Vítkovice picked up a single point and still sits atop the Extraliga standings with 66 points and a four-point lead over Oceláři Třinec, who were idle, and Bílí Tigři Liberec, who beat BK Mladá Boleslav 3-2 in overtime. In fourth place is Pardubice with 59 points, followed by PSG Zlín with 57 and Kometa with 56. Zlín lost 4-0 in České Budějovice. Kometa can tie Pardubice in points if they win in regulation on Sunday.

Sunday's game begins at 12:30 Central European Time, 6:30 AM Eastern Time. It can be seen in the Czech Republic on ČT4 Sport, and elsewhere online at http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/ivysilani/211471290130058-hokej/?streamtype=WM3

Pardubice-Brno, Outdoors on January 2

Pardubice-Svítkov Speedway, covered in snow, before
construction of the hockey rink. Photo courtesy Jan Hrabal.

After weeks of speculation, the APK, HC Eaton Pardubice and HC Kometa Brno announced today at a press conference and via their respective websites that they will, indeed, stage an outdoor game at Pardubice-Svítkov Speedway on January 2.

The event, which has been titled "Hockey Open Air Game 2011", will feature Eaton Pardubice hosting Kometa Brno in a Tipsport Extraliga game beginning at 12:30 PM CEST (11:30 AM GMT, 6:30 AM EST). It will be preceded by a legends game between past members of the Pardubice and Brno clubs, which will begin at 10:00 AM local time.

The stadium, which sits in the Svítkov district of Pardubice, hosts the famous Zlatá přilba or "Golden Helmet" motorcycle race every October. The ice rink will be constructed on the circuit's grass infield. Its planned configuration for this event would allow for more than 25,000 spectators; 17,000 seated and another 8,000 standing. If filled to capacity, which is expected, it would become the largest recorded crowd to watch a hockey game in the Czech Republic. The current record stands at 18,500, for the grand opening of Prague's Sportovní hala (now TESLA Arena) in 1962, in which Spartak Sokolov hosted ZKL Brno.

Pardubice General Manager Zbyněk Kusý, who has also been part of the organisation teams for two World Junior Championships held in Pardubice, says that preparations to the stadium will begin on December 9. It is expected to cost 15 million Czech crowns (roughly USD 790,000) and require 700 workers.

The only player on either team's roster who has participated before in a high-level outdoor game is Pardubice forward Rastislav Špirko, who played for Slovakia in an international friendly in Switzerland in February 2009. Two American players, defenceman Jeff Jillson and forward Adam Pineault, currently play for Pardubice. Jillson played his last game for the University of Michigan seven months before they played an outdoor game against rival Michigan State in October 2001.

Tickets, which range from CZK 450 to 1000 (approximately USD 24 to 53) go on sale December 6 at the ČEZ Arena box office in Pardubice. For those fans abroad who might want to make a trip to see this event in Pardubice, requests can be made via e-mail to mirek.novotny@hcpce.cz beginning December 1.

This will be the first professional outdoor game in the Czech Republic, but not in Europe. Leagues in Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, and Russia have already hosted games outdoors, and one is scheduled for Finland in February.

Outdoor game in Pardubice?

The trend started on September 6, 2001. US college hockey rivals Michigan and Michigan State faced off in the "Cold War", an outdoor game played before 74,544 fans at Spartan Stadium. Since then, it's become a regular occurrence in North America. In Europe, it's been done in leagues in Switzerland, Sweden, and Russia. Last May, the IIHF got into the act, staging a World Championships match in Gelsenkirchen, Germany that drew a world-record 77,803 spectators. Now, news agency ČTK is reporting that it may happen in the Czech Republic.

The proposal tentatively calls for a game to be played at the Pardubice-Svítkov Speedway, which could accommodate approximately 25,000. A scheduled January 2 contest between HC Eaton Pardubice and HC Kometa Brno is being eyed, which would be one day after the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Washington Capitals outdoors at Heinz Field.

"We're working to make our plans become reality," said Pardubice General Manager Zbyněk Kusý. "But it is still premature to talk about this as a done deal. We still have to choose from several opponents and dates. The target for this event is January."

The event, which is scheduled to be discussed on Tuesday at a meeting of the (Czech) Association of Professional Ice Hockey Clubs, is budgeted at CZK 10 million (approximately USD 500,000). "The cost for us it is a pretty decent risk. But since we assume a great response and especially from our great fans, we see an event like this as a gift to the people"


Eaton Pardubice currently has Adam Pineault of Holyoke, MA and Jeff Jillson of North Smithfield, RI on its roster. Jillson signed with San Jose in 2001 with a year of eligibility left at the University of Michigan, causing him to narrowly miss playing in the original "Cold War".