The match will be played at the Valkeakoski Tehtaa field. In the opening match of the season, they will face FC Inter.
6.4. 13:35•Updated 6.4. 13:35
Tampere Ilves has to start the football season in Valkeakoski. Tampere’s Ratina court is not yet in playable condition on April 15. The snow that fell a couple of weeks ago and the night frosts have affected the condition of the field’s grass.
– The city does not want to take a risk in terms of the game. From a sporting point of view, I currently see this as better than playing in incredibly bad conditions, says the CEO of Ilves representation Risto Niklas-Salminen.
Financially, the situation is challenging for Ilves when the team loses the box office revenue of the match. Niklas-Salminen says that they are now starting the season from a community point of view, because Ilves fans who are wearing an Ilves product get free access to the opening game of the season.
– It is important for us that supporters come to Tehtaa’s field to encourage the team to victory, says Niklas-Salminen.
The city has promised that Ratina’s pitch will be in playable condition for the home match against KTP at the end of May.
Conditions to improve in the league locations
The situation is not new for Ilves, as last year the same situation happened at the opening of the season. The field was not in playable condition. This year, however, the team knew how to anticipate and prepare for the situation better.
In the big picture, Risto Niklas-Salminen considers the current situation of league clubs in different cities unequal. For example, the conditions of the teams in Oulu and Turku would need improvement.
– From the point of view of Ilves, it is a good thing that the Tammela stadium will be completed for next season. This is the last season in Ratina, so let’s make the most of it.
Niklas-Salminen would be ready to think about rationalizing the league’s match calendar and also increasing the number of games.
Ilves will start the coming season with a more experienced team than last year. The patient has a few profile players at the start of the season.
– We are ahead of last season in many respects. This season we will see a fighting and mobile Ilves. The sight is set to the upper end range.
The match between Ilves and FC Inter starts in Valkeakoski on the Tehtaa field at 1 p.m.