The deadline for further clarification of Tuto’s league application is today, Tuesday. If the league application is rejected, Tuto can move up to the league in the spring of 2025 through the league qualifiers.
Chairman of the Mestis club Tuto’s supporters association, Tuto Rebels Päivi Nurmi has been walking the corridors of the ice rink in Turku’s Kupittaa regularly for 10 years.
If everything goes well, league hockey might be played on the ice of that hall next season.
Nurmi has a positive attitude towards Tuto’s league application, even though the application process has included many coincidences.
– After all, this is made to be quite ridiculous. If the League had handled its affairs properly, this kind of news would never have come, says Nurmi, who has served as chairman of the supporters’ association for four years.
Nurmi refers to the previous week’s headlines.
The SM League announced at the end of November that the application of Tuto from Turku, who applied for a place in the main league, has been rejected. The next day, Tuto said that the application has not been rejected, but that it has 14 days to respond to additional clarifications.
For example, Tuto was asked for a risk analysis related to the three-year cash flow forecast. A year ago Tuto had to adjust its operations and give up the CEO due to the cash crisis.
The deadline for further clarifications of the league application is today, Tuesday.
Tuto Hockey answers the league’s further inquiries, even the CEO Kimmo Hollménin according to Turku club has not received an explanation of what the price of the league share consists of. The figure has been reported in the public as 3.6–3.8 million euros.
Päivi Nurmen Tuto’s assessment of the application process so far from a supporter’s point of view is not much higher than the estimated price of a league share.
– If the League is evaluated, the grade is bad, four. On the other hand, a full ten for Tuto, says Nurmi.
Nurmi justifies Tuto’s grade with surprise.
– You have to do things and surprise people in order to gain interest. It’s great that we’re moving forward, says Päivi Nurmi.
“The competition would also benefit TPS”
Tuto last played in the SM league in 1994–1996. In men’s ice hockey in Turku, the flag of the highest league level has been carried by the local opponent TPS.
Since the 90s, Tuto and TPS have met in practice matches, but it has been almost 30 years since the match was played at the same league level.
Päivi Nurmi believes that there is still antagonism between Turku clubs in Turku, even though the supporter culture has changed a lot since the 90s. According to Nurmi, the group of hundreds of active supporters behind Tuto is dedicated.
– Tuto’s Serie A promotion would increase the entire city’s interest in hockey. Competition for supporters and players would also be beneficial for TPS, states Päivi Nurmi.
In the league, for example, through the qualifiers
The number of teams in the league has been increased in the last decade without league qualifiers. Sport, KooKoo and Jukurit have entered the league with the so-called “cabinet promotions”.
Like the previous ones, Tuto and Kiekko-Espoo are aiming for a league place with license applications.
17 clubs have applied for a league license for next season. All the current 15 league clubs and Tuto and Kiekko-Espoo are included.
– If all matters are handled on behalf of Tuto and Liiga as requested, the increase should be approved, Päivi Nurmi believes.
The SM League announced earlier this fall that the league qualifiers will return in the spring of 2025. Then the winner of Mestis will qualify for a place in the SM League with the last-placed club.
What if Tuto’s completed league application today is rejected?
– Then we will continue in the same way and rise by playing, through the league qualifiers, Nurmi concludes.