Hockey’s ultimate journeyman Jaromir Jagr turned fifty years old just weeks ago. Jagr is still playing professionally in his native Czechia. Now Jagr is finding a way to use hockey and help out a neighboring country in their time of need.
The legendary Jagr took to Facebook with an idea to help the situation and the people of Ukraine. Jagr didn’t propose but rather brought up the idea that HC Kladno play its next game against HC Sparta Pradha at Prague’s O2 Arena.
HC Kladno is the team that Jagr not only plays on but has an ownership stake in. Unlike other “charity” games, which are usually exhibition games this would be a regular-season game that counts towards each team’s record.
The short time schedule made it easier to utilize an existing and “pre-planned” game instead of planning an entirely new game for the schedule. HC Kladno is the team that Jagr not only plays on but has an ownership stake in.
Jaromir Jagr decided to move his team’s game to a larger arena. Ticket revenue from increased ticket sales will be donated to Ukrainian relief efforts.
The O2 arena is Sparta’s home arena and has a sizable capacity of over 17,000 for hockey. That puts it on a comparable level to NHL level attendance, as compared to Kladno’s home arena of CEZ Stadion Kladno, with only has a capacity of 5,200.
Moving to O2 Arena would lead to higher ticket sales and revenue, which Jagr wants to donate to Ukraine. The O2 arena is also more modern, as noted by Jagr, opening in 2004. According to Euro Hockey, HC Kladno’s own stadium was built in 1949.
Jagr was sure to point out that Kladno would get no “home” advantage in Sparta’s arena. The point of the move is only to maximize ticket revenue on such short notice. At first, Jagr explained that the plan wasn’t set, and was welcoming feedback from his followers.
By Friday afternoon he added another post confirming that Kladno’s March 8th game had been moved to Prague’s O2 Arena. Jagr has yet to mention the specific plans of how ticket revenue will be donated to Ukrainian relief efforts.
The NHL has made its statement on the matter. Jagr has beaten the NHL in a plan to offer actual monetary support to the victims of the conflict. There’s still a lot to plan for this charity game, but it’s good Jagr took the initiative.