The Kölner Haie are experiencing a fantastic boom in spectators. The club is the clear number one in Europe and is on a par with the NHL.
The carnival days are still going on in Cologne – you can see that too ice Hockey-Club of Cologne Sharks not over. What’s more: you want to benefit from it. On Tuesday (February 13th, 2024), the spectators should bring the joyful atmosphere with them to the arena at the home game against Iserlohn.
Sharks are the number one fans in Europe
Because there is no shortage of one thing at the KEC: enough fans. The sharks are on the way to a new European record. An average of almost 17,000 spectators are currently watching the Sharks. The KEC is clearly leading the continental audience table.
Last year, the Cologne team set a DEL record with just over 14,000 fans. In Europe they were slightly outperformed by EHC Basel. They will get this record at European level this year as soon as the season comes to an end.
As many spectators as in the NHL
“When we think about it, a smile really comes across our faces. We are so grateful that the fans are loyal to us,” explained managing director Phlipp Walter in the WDR interview and explained: “We are number one in Europe and We’re even looking towards the NHL, where we would still have a good place in the audience rankings.”
More precisely: The club would currently be leaving behind ten teams from the North American top league NHL, which has so far only published the figures for the 22/23 season. The KEC cannot come close to the North American fan leader Montreal – even if the hall is permanently sold out. The Cologne Arena, after all the largest in Europe, can only fit a little more than 18,000 fans. There are currently around 21,000 spectators in Montreal to watch the Canadiens.
Managing Director Walter: “KEC is the talk of the town!”
Nevertheless: The sharks are booming like never before. The reasons for this are diverse. “We have a very diverse audience, we do a nice family program,” says Walter. To this end, investments were made in digitalization during Corona times. The KEC also takes advantage of the large catchment area; there is almost no competition, especially towards the south.
In addition, the KEC is viewed differently within the city than elsewhere – it is the clear number two after 1. FC Köln when it comes to sport. “We’re the talk of the town, so it’s almost a given. Everyone wants to be part of this event in the arena,” said Walter.
National team as the flagship of the DEL
Despite all the advertising that he does for his own club, the reasons for the upswing do not only lie in Cologne. German ice hockey in general is on the rise: the DEL has recorded over 25 percent more viewers in the current season, and the TV ratings also point to a new peak – ice hockey is “in”.
The managing director explains why this is so: “On the one hand, it has to do with the fact that you can identify with the national team. The appearance of the players, the successes that are celebrated there. This team is an incredibly good figurehead for our team Sports.” In fact: the silver medal at the 2018 Olympic Games and second place at the 2023 World Cup thrilled people across the country.
Criticism in football helps ice hockey
But that’s not the only thing responsible for the up-and-coming league. Ice hockey satisfies a “longing for honest sport.” When it comes to the number one popular sport, football, there is currently a lot of potential for discussion: “We are all somehow socialized into football. But we also sometimes notice that although we all still have our clubs, many things are viewed more critically.”
With his statements, Walter alluded primarily to the criticism of FIFA and UEFA officials, allegations of corruption, the large amount of money involved there and the issue of human rights, as was recently the case in Qatar. The conflict between the fans and the DFL over the decision regarding an investor in Germany is not even mentioned.
Waiting lists for young people
By the way, the KEC is not only noticing the boom among spectators, but also among young talent. “We currently have to work with waiting lists. Unfortunately, with the Kölnarena 2, we only have one ice surface available for training and we cannot use the large hall.”
In the future, another ice rink is to be built. “We have this topic in mind and it is essential to further promote the development of ice sports,” says the managing director.
Sharks still have every playoff chance
In terms of sport, the people of Cologne are currently still fighting for the DEL playoffs. In contrast to the title of top spectators, Cologne is just one of many clubs here. “We see that the league is incredibly tight,” said Walter. The KEC is currently in seventh place in the league, but the gap up and down is only small.
In the remaining eight main round games, sixth place and thus direct qualification for the playoff quarter-finals can still be achieved. Of course, the biggest bargaining chip they have in Cologne should help: the fans – ideally against Iserlohn.
