Selling out games in advance is a rare treat in Lappeenranta.
The hockey team SaiPa, playing in Kisapuisto in Lappeenranta, has sold out its home game tomorrow Saturday in advance. This is the first time this league season.
The Kisapuisto ice rink can accommodate 4,800 spectators. On Saturday, SaiPa will face Kiekko-Espo, which is fourth in the league.
– There have been a few fairly full games in December, but tickets were still sold at the door, says SaiPa’s office secretary Sirpa Hujala.
Also in November, one match was sold out, but then tickets were sold at the door right before the match.
According to Sirpa Hujala, the ticket sales spree started in November and has now continued in December. SaiPa leads the league table and the buzz around the team has been great.
– The pace has accelerated towards the new year, says Hujala.
Tickets for tomorrow’s match were sold out about a day and a half before the game.
Plenty of standing room
The Kisapuisto ice rink in Lappeenranta has 2,000 standing places. In December, the seats in the hall have been sold out in advance, but there is room for standing seats.
Sirpa Hujala is pleased with the situation after difficult years. The race park is often not sold out in advance, because there are so many standing places.
– I have worked in this position since 2005. I don’t remember this happening in the regular season.
In 2014, Kisapuisto was full when SaiPa played in the playoffs. First, the team faced JYP and Kärpät, who eventually won the championship in the semifinals.
According to South Saimaa The race park was also sold out in March 2017. At that time, according to the newspaper, the stand was actually partially empty and free tickets were also given out for the match.
Seven home matches in January
Good ticket sales will help Liiga-SaiPa oy’s finances, which have been in trouble in recent years.
– Ticket sales are extremely important to us, says the community manager Jonna Vuorinne.
According to him, Liiga-SaiPa’s goal at the start of the season was an average of 3,000 spectators.
– Already at the beginning of October, it was clear that the spiritual goal had to be set higher. Now the new goal is four thousand, says Vuorinne.
According to him, the average viewership of home matches has now been around 3,800.
In January, SaiPa has no less than seven home matches. There are still tickets for sale.
This is how SaiPa’s fans went to Tampere on December 21 to support their team: