Living in Lempäälä Jussi in Meresmaa is a vision.
He would like the Tampere-based ice hockey club Tappara’s cap to become a phenomenon similar to the fan products of NBA or NHL teams: the ax logo could become a brand that crosses international borders.
– The ultimate goal of any idea or ideology is to spread as widely as possible and produce as good memories as possible for everyone, he says.
In addition to capital of 1.5 million euros, Tappara got a lot of new owners with its share issue at the end of the year.
One of them is frisbee golf millionaire Meresmaa, who, in addition to his main job, is developing Tappara’s brand and commerciality.
During the interview, three English tourists arrive at the Tappara shop in the Tampere arena – as if to underline Meresmaa’s point.
A native of Sheffield Kevin Tanner adjusts the hoodie and says that he was at Tappara’s CHL game last year. That’s how the team got to know each other.
– Few people in England know about Tappara. This is one thing I will take there with me and share with them. It’s awesome, Tanner says.
Meresmaa wants something like this from Tapranki’s future.
There are no exact steps yet, but the direction is clear. For him, ice hockey could be seen all year round and spread more widely “beyond Häme”.
CEO of Tappara Mika Aro peesa goals.
– That’s a good goal, international visibility all year round is important.
Goal: to be an international sports entertainment brand
Aro and Meresmaa remind us that even in Tappara, the sporting and commercial paths go their own way. It all depends on the game going and success coming.
Tappara’s vision is to be Finland’s most valuable international sports entertainment brand.
According to Mika Aro, CEO of Tappara, Tappara is already, if not the most famous in Europe, then at least one of the top three. Work has been done for this for years.
The goal includes many areas. Participating in the international CHL league for ten years already is one factor.
Second, the new, even more entertaining way of playing the head coach launched in the previous season Rikard Grönborgin management, renewing the visual look and increasing the fan shop.
– Work continues on all of these, we are by no means ready, says Aro.
On the other hand, he also considers the recently concluded directed share issue as an encouraging example. Tappara got a dozen new owners and collected funds for the development of operations with an anni above their expectations.
There is also something to shake on the financial side: Tappara’s background company Tamhockey oy made a loss of a good 200,000 euros in the 2023–2024 season.
The 13,000-seat Tampere arena could also accommodate a lot more fans for the games. At Tappara’s games last season, there were an average of 8,494 spectators per game – although the number is the highest in the SM League.
Fanning could also be seen in summer
And could Tappara be more than a puck?
– Even now, there are incredible facilities here, a top-class team and playing arena on a European scale, Meresmaa envisions.
Meresmaa also sees other possibilities in how Tappara’s products could be seen even in the summer.
He grabs a frisbee golf disc with the Tappara logo.
– For many people, being a fan of a sports team is a lifelong story – why should it take a break during the summer?
Among other things, Meresmaa goes in search of answers to this question.
Managing director Mika Aro reminds that now the puck nation only starts to wake up in autumn. So the hockey season is in full swing only in winter.
– The summer activities could help with the initial stiffness of autumn and also affect viewership at the very beginning of the season.
No quick wins
According to Aro and Meresmaa, building a brand is careful and time-consuming work.
Meresmaa plans to swim into the group with slow strokes.
– The idea is long-term, as in sports in general. Personally, I don’t think that we are going to get quick wins, but this is for me the rest of my life investment in Tampere, hockey and Tappara.
Mika Aro expects good sparring from Meresmaa and ideas for growing the fan community and business, such as the fan merchandise store.
The most important thing is, of course, hockey. Right now, the team is not going through the rosiest phase: around the turn of the year, there was a streak of five losses.
– I would be satisfied if we could get a functioning European series where successful and competitive Finnish teams would play.
He has another big goal.
– Yes, it would be a big dream to see the local finals during this career, Aro laughs.