Winter Game in hockey: attendance record – but the roof remains too – Daily Mirror

12:33 clock Claus Vetter

In Dusseldorf take place on Saturday the second Winter Game took place in the German Ice Hockey. At an open-air game but it will not come, but the organizers prepare for a spectacle.

Throughout the week the roof was too. And on Saturday it will probably remain closed in the ice stadium repurposed Düsseldorf Football Arena. Almost 15 degrees and rain are predicted for that day. In itself, regardless of an ice hockey game, because as the outside temperatures rarely interfere. The sport is operated at a professional level in nearly a century in the hall. But this particular game the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) is now called once “Winter Game” and is appealing the fact that it is an outdoor game. That with the weather so “crap” as Lorenz radio is junior. But otherwise, says the project manager of the second Winter Games of DEL, is all the “green zone”.

A record is the event set up in each case. In the game the Düsseldorf EC against the Kölner Haie probably more than 50 000 spectators will be there, it would be a new record for a league match at the European ice hockey.

For a long time, the organizers had hoped that the record for an outdoor game in Europe on Saturday will be a new. The Framework Programme, the roof will be closed in each case, but the 206th Derby Rhine them because they want to – “if somehow” – open, Funk said. But even if that does not happen, the audience a program expected in the second edition as in January 2013 as the Nuremberg Ice Tigers polar bears Berlin was 50 000 spectators 4: could beat 3: A prelude with former hockey stars, then a concert – this time with the Swedish rock band Mando Diao – followed by the DEL match and fireworks. And by this story, the question of the meaning of the event closes on. Lorenz radio says it’s simple: “For the German Hockey brings the attention that helps the sport to come forth from the shadows.” And it was so hard to believe, who reports everything about it. He was also at the ticket sales have been mighty surprised: “ We have many tickets to Holland, Belgium and England, and even sold to Australia.”

2013 was in continuous rain puddles on the ice

However, the Australians will probably be a minority in the stadium Winter Game of Nuremberg, says Funk, who at the time was involved as a manager of the Franks in the preparation of the game. 2013 was played in continuous rain, with puddles on the ice. Will not happen in Dusseldorf yes – and: “The stadium in Dusseldorf has no career like in Nuremberg, the stands are steeper. The view of the playing field is consistently good. “

The penchant for huge events in the German Ice Hockey is not new in the 2010 World Cup saw almost 78,000 spectators in the Schalke Arena in the opening match between Germany and the USA. And of course commercial interests are at stake, the “Winter Game GmbH” are held to 100 percent of the Düsseldorf EC – a good profit in the six-part area is the club guaranteed. Whether is now played in the rain or under the roof, it does not matter.