Jokerit: Mikko Saarni opened up about financial difficulties

The supporters of the Jokers will have to dig for the picture in the coming season. Picture from the third final match against Imatran Ketterä. Picture: Pete Aarre-Ahtio / IS

to the SM league the rising Helsingin Jokerit says that the finished Mestis season was financially “extremely challenging”.

The matter is clear from the letter to the supporters published on Jokerie’s website, written by the chairman Mikko Saarni.

“Expenses have risen in the background, one of the most significant of which has been the systematic growth of the organization to league readiness. In addition, the costs of match events have been at the same level as, for example, Tampere’s league teams, even though the income remained at the Mestis level,” Saarni writes.

Jokeri’s coffers were punished by a drop in the number of spectators, which the club blames on the fact that promotion to the SM league was secured while the season was still in progress.

However, Saarni assures that Jokeri’s next season is not threatened.

“However, we were prepared for these risks, and we will also survive them financially, and we have not had to make any changes to next season’s plans.”

The chairman Jokerit plans to raise the price of season tickets for the coming season considerably.

This is justified by the increase in the number of matches and the fact that Jokerit plays all its league matches in the Veikkaus arena, where the costs of the events are higher.

In the coming season, Jokerit plans to introduce dynamic pricing in all its matches. The club estimates that this will increase ticket prices for individual matches.

“Ticket prices for seats in the most interesting games will be high. These include, for example, the long-awaited local games against IFK and matches against other top teams in the league,” Saarni writes.