Apparently this is a concern for the fans of the Berlin Polar Bears (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisbären_Berlin#Current_Roster) as well as the Lynah Faithful. The story (http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/03/06/meaw_pm_adv_ice_hockey/) was on NPR's Marketplace (3/6/08 evening edition).
In short, this season is the Polar Bears last in a 4700 "seat" (concrete benches) arena built by the communist East Germans. They will now move to a fancy 14,000 seat arena built by the Anschutz Entertainment Group and there will be fewer standing room only tickets and the working class fans are worried that they will lose some of their traditions.
Yeah but AEG has to make money to make up for all the money they lose on the LA Kings.
Someone other than JTW starting a thread about a German hockey team? (In Berlin, no less.) What is this, Bizarro World? ::screwy::
[quote Josh '99]Someone other than JTW starting a thread about a German hockey team? (In Berlin, no less.) What is this, Bizarro World? ::screwy::[/quote]
My thoughts exactly. B-]
Tonight is the last home game of the regular season; it seems the Eisbären have been selling out regularly. On the other hand, I'm not sure losing some of their traditions is such a bad thing in this case. The games I've gone too, the crowd hasn't seemed very friendly, and still has a lot of hard-edged DDR feel to it. If nothing else, they should probably stop singing "Scheiß-West-Berlin" before they move into the middle of town...
[quote Josh '99]Someone other than JTW starting a thread about a German hockey team? (In Berlin, no less.) What is this, Bizarro World? ::screwy::[/quote]
That's what I thought when I heard a story on hockey.... my jaw kind of drop when it was Germanhockey.
[quote jtwcornell91]The games I've gone too, the crowd hasn't seemed very friendly, and still has a lot of hard-edged DDR feel to it.[/quote][yes, I know what it really means]
Dance Dance Revolution?
[/if I didn't do it someone else would have eventually]
[quote Josh '99][quote jtwcornell91]The games I've gone too, the crowd hasn't seemed very friendly, and still has a lot of hard-edged DDR feel to it.[/quote][yes, I know what it really means]
Dance Dance Revolution?
[/if I didn't do it someone else would have eventually][/quote]
I originally changed it to "East German", then changed it back so someone could make the joke. :-}
Of course, I have the opposite problem; when people talk about DDR the game, I think of the country first.
Hey, if you guys are form the USSR, how come your jerseys say CCCP?::doh::
Just went to my first game at o2 World tonight: a "Champions Hockey League" match between EHC Eisbären Berlin and Kärpät Oulu from Finland. The place definitely has an NHL feel with multiple levels and fancy food stations (although we had VIP club room access so got free food elsewhere). And when we got there they were blasting heavy metal music over the fans trying to play their drums and songs, which was pretty dumb. But in the game they laid off, except during the TV timeouts. Which was also a very alien thing by European standards, along with the special jerseys containing no advertising other than Reebok, sponsor of the CHL. So in the end there was still a lot of chanting and cheering, sort of like BU fans at Agganis, with presumably similar nostalgia for the old piss-scented hall. The "Ost Berlin" cheers were also there despite the sign declaring (in German) "Berlin is bigger than East and West". The big East German flag was notably absent, along with actually any German flag other than animated on the scoreboard as they played the German and Finnish national anthems.
Anyway, the Eisbären won the match 3-2, pretty much dominating play and giving up goals only on a first-period power play and a dumb turnover in the 3rd. More than I can say for SCBern, who lost 6-2 to some team from Sweden. :-/
And after the game who should be standing around outside of the arena but Ralph Kruger, Justin's dad and coach of the Swiss National Team. I wasn't going to say anything but my pushy Californian friend insisted on introducing me, wearing my Cornell Hockey hat, Eisbären scarf and SCB jersey. (No Hopp Schwiiz scarf, unfortunately.) Anyway, that was cool and he was upbeat about the Big Red this year.
[quote jtwcornell91]
And after the game who should be standing around outside of the arena but Ralph Kruger, Justin's dad and coach of the Swiss National Team. I wasn't going to say anything but my pushy Californian friend insisted on introducing me, wearing my Cornell Hockey hat, Eisbären scarf and SCB jersey. (No Hopp Schwiiz scarf, unfortunately.) Anyway, that was cool and he was upbeat about the Big Red this year.[/quote]
I still feel bad for Ralph...I think it was the BU game last year when the Kruger family flew in from Switzerland (or Germany?) to watch Justin, but he was serving a one game suspension.
Right, Justin got DQed at the end of the Dartmouth game the weekend before, which Ralph also attended. I talked to him after the Dartmouth game and I know he pretty disappointed in the ref's call because although Justin was part of the scuffle, no one threw a punch.
Finally went to my first game at Agganis. Have to say there is something for a professional-style arena (though smaller). The crowd was into it, but they weren't deafening like at Lynah, but BU students aren't exactly Cornellians. It sure was nicer than the last time I went to a BU home game--hosting Cornell on Thanksgiving weekend about 13 years ago.
Also, I was surprised at how much advertising they have there. Even the power plays are sponsored. Helps defray the costs.
It must be good for recruiting, though I know some of you think Lynah fans are loud enough to help with that alone.
Oh, and it's nice to have full refreshment stands with beer and edible food and also to have large, clean bathrooms.