When the Champions Hockey League comes to Poland for the first time next month, it's going to be a big deal. So big, in fact, that the Mayor of Krakow spoke about it in a press conference on Monday.
by Dawid Szewczyk
KRAKOW – Poland is ready to host its first ever Champions Hockey League games. On Monday in Krakow a press conference took place with representatives of Comarch Cracovia and the City of Krakow concerning the first CHL season with a Polish team. As suspected, Cracovia will play their home games in the biggest sports arena in Poland – Tauron Arena Krakow.
It's the return of hockey to one of the most modern arenas in the Central Europe. The last time Tauron Arena Krakow hosted hockey games was a year ago during the IIHF World Championship Division 1 Group A. Now more than 15 000 fans will have at least two more chances to watch hockey in this building. This time it will be the Champions Hockey League.
“It will be a great honour to host the Polish champions and Champions Hockey League games in Tauron Arena Krakow,” said Krzysztof Kowal, the head of ZIS Krakow, which operates Tauron Arena Krakow.
It will be the first season that Champions Hockey League has a Polish representative. Cracovia will first play against Czech club Sparta Prague on 17 August. Two days later, the Polish champs will host Swedish club Farjestad Karlstad. Both games start at 19:30 local time and tickets will go on sale in the next few days.
“It’s a big challenge – also for the city, which as host of Tauron Arena Krakow, will do everything to transform those days into a big hockey celebration in Poland. I hope that we will have 15 000 fans in the stands without any problem. Personally, I cannot wait for the game with Sparta Prague,” said Jacek Majchrowski, Mayor of Krakow.
The first CHL games in Poland will surely be a big moment for hockey in the country, and the Cracovia team wants to make sure they're ready . Their training camp for the upcoming season also started on Monday, with the players hitting the ice for the first time. The Pasy (the team's nickname, which means “stripes” in Poland due to their red-and-white uniform design) have a little more than a month remaining until their first CHL game.
“Those will be tough games for us. None of us have ever played on a such high club level. I hope that fans, not only from Krakow but from all over Poland, will help us in our fight,” said Rafal Radziszewski, goalkeeper of Comarch Cracovia.