Oceláři Třinec started planning for its new home seven years ago and now it's finally time to start playing. The team in the industrial town will play in the Czech Republic's most comfortable and technologically-advanced arena, and the first pre-season game is Thursday at 17:00 CET against Bílí Tygři Liberec.

by Daniel Ježek

After seven long years of planning, getting permits and building, the wait is finally over. Werk Arena, the new indoor arena in Třinec, is ready to host its first games. Oceláři Třinec has already held on-ice practices there and will play its very first pre-season game against fellow Champions Hockey League club Bílí Tygři Liberec on 31 July at 17:00 CET.

Construction began on 10 October 2012. Almost two years and EUR 25 million later, it is finally completed. The arena itself covers 10 500 square meters and will have modern amenities for the players, media, and especially the fans. It will seat 5118 for hockey, with all fans enjoying comfortable seats and a good view of the ice surface. Also included are VIP rooms, restaurants and shops. For the people of this industrial town of less than 40 000 who were used to the rougher conditions of the club's old home, the new Werk Arena is a huge upgrade.

“With this new arena we now have a comfortable place to watch hockey in Třinec, but not only hockey. Werk Arena is multi-purpose facility, which will serve other sports and events as well,” says Jan Czudek, vice-president of Oceláři Třinec. Other events that the arena will host include concerts, shows, festivals, and other cultural and sporting events. “This stadium belongs to the people of Třinec, and because of that we are confident that people will behave responsibly so that Werk Arena will remain that way for as long as possible.”

Czudek then went on to explain some of the features of Werk Arena that will make it unique, generate revenue, and make it a great overall experience for fans.

“The side boards are made from LED panels, the only arena in the Czech Republic that has this, and on them we can display dynamic advertising and we can also use them to entertain fans during breaks in the action. Thanks to this, we get more advertising space and therefore we can keep playing on a pure white sheet of ice without ads,” Czudek continued. “The stadium is also equipped with Ice 3D mapping technology, which can project images onto the ice.”

For those used to the rougher conditions of the club's old arena, It seems that the arena will be in interesting experience for the paying customer, but what about for the people who will be the main show, and spend more time inside Werk Arena than most?

“While we were building the arena, we already had it in mind that we wanted it to be as comfortable as possible. That means for the players as well,” Czudek replied. “There is a full range of training and regeneration facilities with whirlpools, saunas and a swimming pool with counter current.”

At least one Oceláři player appreciates all of the modern comforts of his club's new home.

“My first impressions are very positive,” said forward Martin Adamský after the first practice at the new arena. “You can feel it. We have really great place to play and everything is roomier.”

Before the start of the Champions Hockey League schedule, Werk Arena will host seven pre-seaon games. After the opening game against Liberec, Oceláři will host HC Olomouc the next day and Dinamo Minsk on 5 August. From 12 to 15 August, the new arena will then host four games in the Steel Cup, which includes Oceláři as well as two Champions League rivals -- Vítkovice Ostrava and HC Košice -- and Russian club Severstal Cherepovets.

Finally, Oceláři opens its CHL Group E schedule on 21 August against HC Bern, followed by the Stavanger Oilers two days later. The club's third home game in the group stage will be 23 September against Tappara Tampere. The arena will host its first Czech Extraliga game on 12 September when Oceláři faces off against another CHL club, HC Pardubice.

Click here for the pre-season schedule involving Champions Hockey League clubs.

Click here for the Champions Hockey League schedule.