Sleepy Swiss capital ready for raucous hockey

A newly renovated arena in Switzerland's capital will be the focal point as the international ice hockey world turns its gaze on the alpine country next week.

Quaint Bern, home to the country’s parliamentarians, a centuries-old bear pit and cobblestone streets, is poised to steal the spotlight from a decidedly glitzier and more glamorous Zurich.

But hockey isn’t much of a glitzy or glamorous game and even though the PostFinance Arena is flashy – it has glass walls – there is a strong utilitarian component: Europe’s largest hockey venue holds some of the continent’s most enthusiastic fans.

Days before the world tournament, workers are in the last stages of what is a two-year, SFr108 million ($92 million) facelift for the arena.

In the building’s belly, painters are whitewashing concrete with the help of long poles. High above the ice, others are transforming PostFinance’s legendary grandstands into a more civilised venue – one with seats.

Elsewhere, cleaners are scrubbing the arena, supported by members of Switzerland’s army and people finishing their civilian service.

They want to make sure everything is spic and span for the hundreds of players from around Europe and North America, who promise to bring enthusiasm and excitement and leave behind their blood, sweat, tears and teeth.

“The installation of temporary facilities began after Easter,” said Etienne Marcel, the venue chief for PostFinance during the tournament. Marcel is overseeing the preparations.

Big media

In addition to some 12,000 seats for fans – 5,000 less than for regular games – the venue will accommodate around 800 accredited journalists, areas for commentators, television studios and pedestals for nearly 25 televisions cameras.

Even with the work organisers have put into the SFr30 million tournament, they did little to make Switzerland’s capital the capital of international ice hockey – it already was.

The PostFinance Arena holds more fans than even any venue on the continent – even Russia. Its size rivals or outclasses North American arenas and generally, every home game is pandemonium.

For the world tournament, Switzerland’s group games against France, Germany and favourite Russia are already sold out. Organisers hope the investment in the arena will pay dividends in the form of more fans attending other games.

Zurich

The tournament’s other venue is a different story. Instead of playing at the home arena of the Zurich Lions, teams not playing in Bern will actually be squaring off just outside Zurich – in Kloten, home of the international airport.

Luckily, when they are not attending games, fans will be able to pass the time in Zurich, a ten-minute train ride away. Switzerland’s largest city has been repeatedly ranked as the best in the world to live in and boasts world-class art museums, a brilliant waterfront boardwalk and countless luxury stores.

Tournament organisers say that they were looking for a smaller second arena and that the decision to play outside the city was made before any controversy about Zurich’s historic Hallenstadion.

Local politicians had secured funding to renovate the Hallenstadion, arguing it would improve the quality of sporting events. But after the money came through and improvements were made, the hockey games were supplanted by other events.

“By the woods”

The newly-formed Champions Hockey League, for example, played some games in the town of Rapperswil, three-quarters of the way down Lake Zurich.

Heinz Mazenauer, the head of communications for the tournament, told swissinfo that the Kloten venue was advantages for its proximity to hotels.

The International Ice Hockey Federation on its website touts Schluefweg arena – renamed Arena Zurich-Kloten for the tournament – as having played host to a tennis tournament, a 2004 floorball world championship and as being located “idyllically located by the woods”.

But as some teams finish off the round robin play at Kloten, crooner Lionel Richie will serenade a different breed of fan at the Hallenstadion.

All elimination games will be held in Bern and on May 10, the day of the final, the largest arena in Switzerland’s largest city will host the Harlem Globetrotters.

swissinfo, Renat Künzi and Justin Häne

Bern

Organisers expect around 250,000 visitors to Bern for the hockey championship. The 2008 European football championship drew over one million fans to the Swiss capital.

A free opening event will be held on April 25-26 in front of parliament, with a showing of Switzerland’s game against Germany.

Hotel rooms in Bern stand at 90 per cent occupancy for the tournament and are fully booked for the finals.

Rounds

Preliminary round
The tournament’s 16 teams are split into four groups of four. Each team plays three matches in round robin play. The top three from each group move to the qualifying round.

Qualifying round
The remaining twelve teams are divided into two groups of six. Each team has to play three games within their group.

Quarterfinal
The top four teams from each group make it to the quarterfinal. The bottom two teams from each group are eliminated.

Semifinal
The top four teams from the quarterfinal move to the semifinal.

Bronze medal game
The two losers of the semi-final games face off.

Final
The winners of the semi-final round play the tournament’s final match.