Hockey|According to Mikko Saarni, chairman of the Jokers, the club is financially on schedule in terms of promotion to the SM league.
Helsinki The jokers’ goal is to play in the SM league in the 2025–26 season. This is the line of the president of the club Mikko Saarni.
“That is our goal. We are on schedule in terms of finances, that we are ready to play in the SM league in terms of all other activities,” says Saarni.
In their second Mestis season, Jokerit is leading the league with half of the regular season matches behind them. A league place requires Mestis to win the championship this season.
“That’s where we trust our players and our coaching.”
With Jokers is a very famous team in Mesti since he became the head coach in the middle of the season Risto from Dufva NHL stars Valtteri Filppula.
In addition, the jester shirts have become stronger during the season, among other things Antti Pihlström40, and Rony Ahonen37, with veterans like
The most recent acquisition is 39 years old Juhamatti Aaltonen. His resume includes, among other things, three Finnish championships, a world championship and several seasons in Russia and Sweden.
In addition to older players, Jokers also includes players who are in their prime. Ville Vainikainen30, as well as The Joker’s Nursery Teemu Henritius31, bring hundreds of matches of experience in the SM league to the crew.
Although with veteran stars no longer commanding the heaviest salaries of their careers, it’s likely that this season’s Jokers will be one of the most expensive Mestis teams of all time.
“I believe that in the past, for example, KooKoo and Sport have paid more wages. But if all our players took a salary according to their market value, then we would easily be the most expensive team ever”, says Mikko Saarni.
According to Saarni, however, the club has remained within the player budget of half a million euros, even after big-name acquisitions.
“We are in the fortunate position that they have wanted to come to us. And specifically for the right reasons, that they want to play in Jokers and not for money.
Promotion in the league is a clear goal, and the people from Helsinki have not wanted to leave anything to chance. Only Mesti’s championship is valid.
THE JOKERS outlined earlier in the fall that the club’s goal is to make a total result of 42,477 euros from each of its home matches. In practice, it means 3,900 spectators per match. According to the goal, 1,200 will come from season ticket holders, the rest from sold individual tickets.
Before Friday’s TUTO match, the average audience for the Jokers was just under 4,400 spectators. Jokerit has also stated that in terms of finances, the club will go with the cash budget in the current season.
Saarni said on Friday that more than 5,000 tickets had been sold for the TUTO match.
“A great match is coming,” Saarni said.