The 2011 IIHF World Championship (29.4. – 15.5.2011) has drawn to a close after 17 game days. Over 406 000 spectators watched the 56 games, 291 227 in Bratislava and 115 477 in Košice.

The total number of tickets sold came to 316 704, of which 238 078 were for Bratislava and 78 151 for Košice. The most tickets were bought by people from Slovakia, followed by the Czech Republic and Finland. Interestingly, 26 tickets were sold to Swaziland.

26 out of the 32 Bratislava Orange Arena  games were sold out. In Košice the Steel Arena was sold out for three games: Canada - Sweden, USA - Canada and Sweden – USA. 

The fan village in Bratislava was a roaring success – visited by over 150 000 fans during the 17 championship days.

Spectators:                                          Sales:

Total – 406 704                                    Total – 316 229                                   

BA – 291 227                                       BA – 238 078                                      

KE – 115 477                                       KE – 78 151                                        

More information on the 2011 IIHF WM can be found at: www.iihf.com

At a Friday press conference at Orange Arena, Skoda announced it will remain the official main sponsor of the IIHF World Championship through 2017. IIHF President René Fasel was on hand and praised the six-year deal with the Czech automaker.

“Skoda’s involvement with the IIHF World Championship and its continued visual presence in national and international ice hockey has made the brand and the sport become almost inseparable,” said Fasel. “The long-term commitment speaks for itself in regards to the strength of the work achieved by all parties.”

Fasel reminisced about having a Skoda Felicia back in 1992, and commented on the appropriateness of the brand for hockey: "We are a popular sport. We are not Rolls-Royce or Bentley. Hockey is for the people. Look at our fans. You could not have a better choice than Skoda for the partner."

Based in Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic, Skoda has served as the tournament’s official main sponsor since 1993. It has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records for having “the longest-lasting main sponsorship in the history of sports world championships,” and now that record will be increased again.

Philippe Blatter, President and CEO of InFront, the IIHF’s official marketing partner for the IIHF World Championship, stated: “This year’s IIHF World Championship is the first major sports event where Skoda promotes its new corporate identity – a confirmation for the high value of the IIHF platform for marketing partners. The continued collaboration allows all parties involved to take on a long-term perspective and raise this partnership to new heights.”

At the 2011 IIHF World Championship, Skoda has also served, as usual, as the official car partner. Its fleet of 40 cars (Yeti and Superb) has been used to transport tournament officials, guests, and others. In the media centre, a designated Skoda kiosk with hard-working staff provides journalists with refreshments, Skoda information, newspapers, pens, and table hockey for relaxation. In addition, Skoda is represented with cars displayed inside the arenas, information booths on the concourses, and in the fan fest areas.

Prof. Dr. h.c. Winfried Vahland, the head of Skoda, added: “We are happy to be the main sponsor of the IIHF World Championship for another six years and thus to continue an extremely successful partnership. The fascination with ice hockey is a perfect fit for Skoda. The power of the sport – with its aggressiveness and sportivenes – will continue to support us on our future growth course.”

To conclude the press conference, Fasel and IIHF General Secretary Horst Lichtner presented a hockey statuette by the famous Spanish artist Rosa Serra to Vahland. Blatter gave him a Czech hockey jersey with "Vahland" and "17" on the back.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and IIHF President René Fasel held a press conference in downtown Bratislava this afternoon just moments after the IIHF’s Congress awarded the 2016 IIHF World Championship to Russia (Moscow/St. Petersburg).

The questions directed at Putin ranged in the extreme, from economic and environmental concerns to the resolution of the Libyan conflict. In the case of the latter, he replied diplomatically, “I came here for different reasons.”

When things turned to hockey Putin was both passionate and knowledgeable, speaking from the heart as much as from the head. “My best memories of hockey when I was young were of the Soviet Union teams playing Canada,” he said with a smile. “This was in the early 1970s, and I remember very clearly my parents were very excited when we won, and very disappointed when we lost.”

“Unfortunately,” he revealed, “I never skated very much when I was a boy. I went one time to a camp in Kazakhstan. I fell down, and I never skated again. Recently, though, I tried again. It’s very difficult, but I enjoy it a great deal. I just don’t have much time for it.”

When asked about the KHL’s role in the development of the game in Europe, Putin was both opinionated and emphatic. “Just as I talked about those great games in the ‘70s between the Soviet Union and Canada, I believe it is important to have a strong KHL. What is the benefit to have all of our best players in the NHL? We need an efficient and competitive league in Europe that can compete with the NHL. Maybe President Fasel can help create games between the two leagues. This would be very good for the game, I think. This is why the KHL is so important. I fully encourage new teams from other countries to join, so long as they have the finances to stand on their own.”

Putin is not an elitist. While he loves sports at the highest level, he understands the role of athletics and fitness to society as a whole. He himself swims or goes to the gym every day and sees “big” events such as the Olympics and World Championship as ways to, “help promote the game among young people so that they might lead healthy lifestyles. We love hockey in Russia,” he said.

As for the team here in Slovakia, Putin was unable to attend last night’s classic Russia-Canada game in person but instead watched it on television with friends. He was impressed by the high level of play last night when his Russian team overcame a 1-0 deficit in the third period to beat Canada 2-1. “Judging by yesterday,” he offered, “our team fights to the end and is dedicated to our country.” He even admitted that when the game got tense in the final minutes, he was on his knees hoping for victory.

Now that’s a true hockey fan.

ANDREW PODNIEKS

The 2011 IIHF World Championship (29.4. – 15.5.2011) is already after its preliminary and qualifying phase. Altogether, 48 matches of the 2011 IIHF WM have been seen by more than 333 000 viewers in Bratislava and Košice.

In Bratislava, twenty out of 24 matches have been sold out. In Košice, Steel Arena was filled to the top during the three matches: Canada – Sweden, USA – Canada and Sweden – USA. The biggest number of viewers (7485) has been counted in Steel Arena during the USA – Canada match. After its eleven days, the tournament in Košice has finished. Today, all the teams playing in the quarterfinal are moving to Bratislava.

Fan village in Bratislava has also recorded a great success. This was during the first eleven days of the championship visited by more than 100 000 fans of ice hockey.

Further information on the championship can be found on the www.iihf.com website.

Fans who own 2011 IIHF World Championship tickets (04.29-15.05.2011) and doubt their authenticity may have them verified. The official ticketing company - Ticketportal – has set up two outlets where ticket holders may voluntarily check tickets that have not been purchased via the official channels (i.e. outside the network of Ticketportal outlets), or tickets received as gifts.

Ticket holders in Bratislava can approach Ticketportal staff at the Fan Village mobile POS between 9:00. and 19:00. In Košice tickets can be checked in the Ticketportal outlet on Nerudova 12 (opposite the Steel Arena) between 9:00 and 13:00.

Ticketportal is - in the interests of  verification – allowed to request personal data and the means by which the owner took possession of the respective ticket. Note that if the verification process a ticket proves to be inauthentic, the police will be called in to secure the ticket as evidence.

In providing this service we wish to meet fans halfway because of the increasing number of counterfeit or inactive tickets appearing at the 2011 IIHF World Championship in Bratislava and Košice.

Inactive tickets are tickets which have been stolen. The Organizing Committee reiterates that stolen ticket numbers are recorded in the Ticketportal system which renders them without doubt invalid. With these tickets – in spite of them featuring all the correct authentication marks – fans will not gain access to the stadiums.

Ten fake tickets were seized by police on Tuesday the 3^rd of May in front of Bratislava Orange Arena before the Slovakia – Russia game. Tickets were to be sold before the game to Austrian fans by an unknown offender for 1500 Euros. The police have pressed fraud charges against the offender  who faces 2 years of imprisonment if convicted.

Each original ticket has 6 security features including  holograms, a watermark and a serial number. The date and time of purchase, sales number and outlet logo is featured on all tickets. The paper on which the tickets is printed is slightly yellowish and does not glow under a UV lamp. The digit number on the counterfoil and the ticket and must be the same. Every ticket also has an individual barcode.

More information on the Championship can be found at: www.iihf.com

The 2011 IIHF World Championship (29.4. – 15.5.2011) preliminary round has drawn to a close. Over 165 000 spectators have watched the initial 24 games, 108 865 in Bratislava and 57 072 in Košice.

Eleven out of the twelve Bratislava games were sold out. The only exception was Tuesday’s game between Slovenia and - Germany which was watched by more than 8000 spectators.  The Košice Steel Arena was sold out for the first time on Wednesday for the Sweden-USA game, with more than 7400 fans attending.

The fan village in Bratislava has become a roaring success – visited by over 50 000 fans during the first six championship days.

More information on the Championship can be found at: www.iihf.com

Fans may now bring cameras into the two Championship venues – the Bratislava Orange Arena and the Košice Steel Arena. The Organizing Committee after consultation with the International Ice Hockey Federation has decided in favour of spectators. "We have had so many requests to shoot in the arenas. Obviously we care about the satisfaction of fans. After long talks with the International Ice Hockey Federation and its marketing company – Infront - we have decided to allow the use of cameras in the Arenas " said Chairman of 2011 IIHF World Championship Igor Nemeček.

Fan shots of the championship can only be used for private purposes and not for publication, as this is subject to an accreditation process.

More information on the World Championship can be found on: www.iihf.com

The ‘Decorate your school and go to see the hockey’ competition winners have been selected. Schools from Bratislava and Košice were eligible to enter the competition. Their role was to decorate their schools with a World Championship theme. The children were allowed to use the official Championship logo and the mascot. Any kind of classroom, window or surrounding decoration was welcome.

Photo:Kalimnčiakova school

Kalinčiakova school in Bratislava and Bruselská school in Košice won competition. The winners were selected by the competition commission. “The prizes were lucrative. The winners recieved tickets for the whole school - Kalinčiakova received about 300 tickets and Bruselská about 1000 tickets, "said 2011 IIHF World Championship Marketing Director Martin Ryba.

“Both victorious schools caught our attention with their creative decorations. We could tell that the children really took it to heart,” added Ryba

Photo: Kalinčiakova school

Photo: Bruselska school

Wheelchair users with tickets to 2011 IIHF World Championships (29.04 - 15-5. 2011) games will be able to park near the Bratislava Orange Arena. Severely disabled card holders with valid tickets will be able to drive into the regulated traffic zone.

"From Vajnorska street to the street Odbojárov branching they may enter the  former cycling stadium. From there it is not far to the entrance area in front of the Orange Arena." Said LOC Chairman of Bratislava Ľubomír Lenár. One of the entrances is designed specifically for wheelchair users - the outermost entrance from Trnava street, next to the storage facility. For wheelchair users there is also a separate wheelchair entrance, leading directly to the ice rink surface where wheelchair users have a defined obstacle free area.

At each game of the championship in Bratislava 10 seats for wheelchair users were on sale, each with one escort. Tickets for wheelchair users can be ordered from the Ticket-Hotline: +421/917-86 86 86 (9:00 to 21:00 CET).

In Košice parking for wheelchair users is provided in the Steel Arena car park, as well as barrier-free entrance into the stadium and platforms for wheelchair users. There were 19 tickets on sale for wheelchair users and escorts in Košice.

More information can be found on: www.iihf.com

Nothing stands in the way of the 75^th IIHF World Championship starting. The Organizing Committee is ready to start what is a great occasion not only for Slovakia, but for the entire hockey world. "Preparations have peaked and we are no longer counting days, but hours. Everything has been prepared since Sunday, flags are waving, advertising vehicles are located next to the ice surface," clarified the chairman of the  2011 IIHF World Championship Organising Committee Igor Nemeček, who went on to say: "If we do not count the Slovak team, the first team to arrive in Bratislava on Tuesday was Germany and the Finnish equipment is here already." On Wednesday afternoon, the plane carrying the Russians landed in Bratislava, the collective underwent a 90-minute workout on the rink neighbouring the Orange Arena.

"On Thursday at 18.30 the first tournament directorate will be held , in which the nomination of individual teams will be announced. The Organizing Committee will also report on the preparations for individual sections of the Championship," said Igor Nemeček, adding: "On Tuesday, the president of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Rene Fasel and other IIHF workers arrived. They are all very satisfied so far."

The Organizing Committee - in one of championship venues; Bratislava - is fine tuning the last details. Since Wednesday morning the press centre has been online. "I believe that although during the World Championship problems usually arise at anytime and anywhere, but everything is resolved quickly," stated Nemeček and went on to say: "The opening ceremony of the championship will be held on Friday evening before the Slovakia - Slovenia game. "

The Organising Committee of the fast upcoming 2011 IIHF World Championship has prepared an interesting program for all the fans in Bratislava . Directly in the Orange Arena itself work is being carried out on the contents of the ad cube which should interest everybody watching individual games at the venue.

"We are attempting to prepare the cube’s features to entertain fans to the maximum, So they take it to heart." Said Marketing director of Organizing Committee Martin Ryba.

For all fans, even those who do not get to the arena itself we have entertainment in the nearby fan village located in the primary school compound on Kalinčiakova Street, entry is free.

"There are large tents there, a concert stage and a huge screen on which will all World Championship games will be streamed. There is also a cushioned artificial playing surface where hockey can be played. We also have various fun booths and stands as well as one of the largest fan tents ever built, "said Martin Ryba. The fan village holds nearly 10 000 people and will be open every game day from 12.00 am till 12.00 pm.

Individual shows will be hosted by Junior and Marcel from Fun Radio. "We have already prepared a list of performers for individual days. We are focusing on the Slovak national team matches. We have arranged performances by Polemic, Vidiek, Chiki liki tu-a, No Name and there will also be one performance from the Príbeh ulice (Street story) musical." said Ryba

The running of the fan village is taken care of by the Organizing Committee. "All are welcome to enjoy the atmosphere. In addition, there will be the possible to buy a variety of official promotional items," said Ryba.