Try to go the ice hockey, plenty of cafe fertig before ought to help if you have problems with the rules
As a hockey fan myself I can second that. Herti (the Zug stadium) is a bit chilly but has a great atmosphere. The fans are quite friendly (provided you aren't from Bern - SCB and EVZ fans don't get on very well for some reason. No idea why.)
How strange, we can't stand them either
(GSHC fans)
Don't you get vertigo from those stands btw, they look so steep it's untrue (from where I was standing in the away end the last time I went there, it looked Eiger like....)
It's amazing to see the Swissy ice hockey and its laid-back fans... I went to a Kloten - Lugano game in Zurich years ago, and after the game all the fans went back to the bhf in the same train. Now if it was football (soccer) on the other hand...
I'm not too sure it was that laid back at the latest Lugano-Kloten game mind you...
It really depends which game you go to see, the last Bern-GSHC game I attended, a few week ago, you had the riot police inside the ice rink and my wife had an interesting experience at an earlier Bern-GSHC game, being from Wigan, she found it very funny mind you...
Best games in Swiss hockey are:
Fribourg-Bern (and vice-versa)
GSHC-Lausanne (and vice-versa)
Ambri/Piotta-Lugano (and vice-versa)
All three regional derbies...
The Zuri police can handle it... I saw my first riot tank at a Stones concert here...
Don't talk to me about the Zurich police
I'm really excited about seeing my first ice hockey match again when I move to Switzerland. It's been ages since I've seen my last game in Canada. After moving to the US, I just never got round to it. Now in the UK, nobody even watches it that I know of.
I'm amazed that a little place like Thun has it's own Ice Hockey and FC league. Looks like like stadiums they have too so I'm going to check out the games!
Season is almost over sadly, semi-finals being played now (plus the relegation playouts and promotion playoffs in second division), should be all over by early april.
If you are moving to Lausanne, the local team, LHC, is now in the second division and blows out and cold, playing in that big freezer that Malley is. Capacity is about 10000 and if the team does well, it fills up nicely and the atmosphere will be unlike anything you experienced in NHL. The main supporters club, the ultras from Section Ouest, are amongst the best in the country. The hockey won't be brilliant though, probably on par with the UK Elite League.
If you want to watch LNA hockey (top division), you can either go to Geneva, Fribourg or Bern, all about an hour from Lausanne. Fribourg have been rubbish for a few year now but Geneva has been doing well in the last 5 seasons, with the 6700 Vernets arena filling up for most games and the atmosphere can be electric. Our manager ought to ring a bell, he is Marty McSorley's brother, Chris... Bern is the big one in Switzerland and Europe, biggest rink in the country, 16700, bigest average of season ticket holders, capped to 14000, highest in Europe and the highest crowd average in Europe too, just below 16000. It is a fantastic rink, very old style, only 4000 seats (all sold out) and the rest is standing. When it gets noisy, you feel it, particularly when you are in the away fans sector.
The level of hockey in the LNA is quite high, not up to NHL standards but it's one of the best league outside of it, crowds are good and, generally, much more noisy (the North American playing in Switz just love the buzz they get from the fans) than in the NHL, very much like the soccer scene in Europe, with ultras groups displaying flags, banners and blokes with loudspeakers leading the singing.
Finally, something for those here who think the Swiss are nothing but dull and unimaginative people
Pictures on page 1 and 7 of this thread:
http://www.onetouchfootball.com/cgi-...0124;p=0&r=nfx
Pictures on page 6, 7, 8:
http://www.onetouchfootball.com/cgi-...0524;p=6&r=nfx
And a little hommage to Zug, things going a bit hot under the collar at promotion final between Zug and Zurich, on and off the ice....
Looking for hockey jerseys? Take a look at this new site I have found, dedicated to Switerland - www.hockeyshirts.ch - pretty cool selection
Seeing as this thread was bumped, it's interesting to see how things have changed in the last few years. Geneva are now languishing in the play-out zone and will struggle to get out of it. The mighty Fribourg-Gottéron are sitting on top of the league and unless they screw up mightily, should have home ice advantage for most of the playoffs. SC umbag B ern have had a poor start to the season, sacked the coach and have rallied a little since.
Fribourg play Geneva tonight, live on TSR2. I would normally be there, but have a works fondue evening tonight. Mrs. G will be there though with youngest G, screaming in people's ears (glad it's not me for once ).
Whhooops... I've gotta admit (although living in Zurich) to be SC Bern fan (don't ask)... anyone else?
Still looking for others, who might join me to watch some of the home games in Berne.
Funny you shuld mention SCB. I watched them get a resounding thumping in Fribourg on Saturday . So resounding it was, that most of the SCB fans left with 15 mins to go, after having thrown cups of beer and urine over the adjacent Fribourg fans.
"Best fans in europe" allegedly...
Sooo, playoffs kick off tonight. Anyone going to any of the matches? I'll be in the BCF Arena watching Gottéron play LugaNO. Should, by rights, be a straightforward home win. I hope.
Fribourg are still alive by the skin of their teeth having avoided a sweep defeat against Bern in penalties. The eventual winner meets ZSC who disposed of EVZ in four straight (sorry Mikey)
Remember with nostalgia the heady days when my local team was hovering at the top of B League. We started a girls hockey team in the mid 60s - and the Canadian trainer was very happy to coach us in his free time, lol.