Zug, 13.10.2020

First ‘Corona home game’ of the EVZ

Our newspaper took a look at and listened to the first home game of the EVZ ice hockey club under corona restrictions. It turns out that the club has prepared well for the challenges. There is still room for improvement in the new framework programme, however.

Forming a conga is probably not a good idea at the moment, even if wearing a protective mask. But it wasn’t a line-up for a dance that formed in front of the Zug Ice Hockey Stadium on Saturday night: it was a queue of spectators. The queue formed in front of one of the four entrances 45 minutes before the start of the first EVZ home game under Corona conditions, and quickly extended over the entire forecourt.

Given the experience of other ice hockey and football stadiums, it was no surprise that patience would be required when waiting. But this scale was simply too much. The EVZ also saw it that way, and reacted quickly. The staff first asked the patient fans whether they all really had to use this entrance. A few minutes later, another staff member finally matched the personalised tickets with the identity cards, and things then went quickly. Perhaps this is also why all the tickets were not read in.

Stadium employees avoid ‘playing the policeman’
The formation of the queue, which had apparently been underestimated, was the only visible organisational failure of the evening, however. The EVZ had prepared well. Even in the difficult weeks before the match, the club’s clear communication to the season ticket holders was impressive. The employees had worked night shifts to ensure the success – and this despite wage losses, which some employees reportedly learned about from the newspaper. Things mostly went smoothly at the Bossard Arena on Saturday. The staff did not act as ‘policemen’, but showed admirable restraint and acted with a sense of proportion – even when some spectators not only took off their masks for eating or drinking, but also for taking snuff.

Photo 1: Even with a protective mask, you can still applaud a goa in the 2-1 victory of the EVZ against Bern
Photo 2: The spectators of the EVZ v Bern match follow the mask-wearing obligation in the stadium
Photo 3: The staff in the stands showed admirable restraint
Photo 4:
Seats have been temporarily installed on the standing ramp of the Bossard Arena.

And the mood? As expected, it was restrained. Even under normal circumstances, the Bossard Arena rarely lives up to the "seething cauldron" description. With only 3,259 spectators – whereby 3,800 are allowed – and without standing places, this description would be over the top! Some brave people started chants now and again, but they faded very quickly.

How many standing places will be offered in the future?
It wouldn’t be too absurd to consider that, even after the Corona pandemic, there could be no more standing areas for fans of the visiting teams in the stadium in Zug. After all, the EVZ has lost a lot of money because of the virus, and would be grateful if it could save on security costs. But if those responsible for the planning were toying with the idea of not even offering standing places for the Zug fans, they would probably think again after Saturday's game.

According to some fans, there is potential for improvement in the framework programme. The new intro, i.e. the video presentation to warm up the spectators before the start of the match, didn’t impress some people, and that couldn’t be ignored in the conversations in the stands. One of the videos shown on the new, attractive video cube left people a little perplexed. It showed a blacksmith making an EVZ logo, while a voice read out a Zug fan song – but in almost a whisper.

Rousing scenes of play and jubilation were then shown afterwards– albeit disregarding most of the recent history, and not even showing the only championship title in 1998 once. The music was also rather harmless, which didn’t build up the atmosphere – at least not in an intentional manner: a young father among the audience recognised the melody of a story about a pirate ship that his children read.

Segginger's voice can no longer be heard
The new ‘goal song’ also didn’t meet much appreciation in the fan curve. According to the club, this had been created by a "sound designer". "No earworm potential," was the comment of many. But it also has a hard time competing against its predecessor, sung by the EVZ reporter legend Marco Segginger.

The fact that – apart from the victorious game of course –  the spectators only moaned about these sideshows, and not about the corona-related restrictions, was a good sign. It made it clear that the EVZ had done its work well in this regard.