HC Sparta Praha; Czech Republic

HC Sparta Praha play at the Tesla Arena, to give it it's sponsored name. They play in the top flight Extraliga. It is a wonderful old rink, opened in 1962 as the Sportovni Hala. I have been here twice before, but not with a digital camera. In the past I struggled to take snaps due to over zealous stewards, so was chuffed to get 'two sets in one', getting here early afternoon, to buy my ticket in advance for the evening match, where I would be cutting it fine, from football in the afternoon. And then some more during the match itself, an overtime victory for visitors Kladno.



The exterior of the arena, set back from the main road, with a car park in front.



Looking directly at the frontage.



I love the banners, hanging down in Sparta colours.



This one hockey.



There's also club colours hanging down from poles. polluting factory behind in arch rivals Slavia colours! ;-)



The Club entrance is round the side, here. Club shop to the right of the picture.



Sorry, 'fanshop'.



It was shut, so I took a snap of the window.



By the entrance club memorabilia was on display.



And seats in the reception foyer had the club emblem on them.



Honours on show.



A poster on the wall advertising their international hockey tournaments.



Their big challenge match against the famous Americans, the month before my visit.



Past the entrance there is a club noticeboard on the wall in the corridor.



Straight ahead are the boards for the post match interviews. The game I am attending is live on the box.



The other side of it, with the various league sponsors.



Straight ahead is the ice pad, and Zamboni.



Map of the rink.



I'm going to start our walk around the arena from this corner, hoping nobody spots me & kicks me out. Paranoia eh? ;-)
The terracing behind the goal here is the home end.



Looking over the ice.There is a junior game in progress.



Turning right, this is the main side, with all the VIP seats. The wooden panneled roofing is impressive.



Here we see the roof, curving over the VIP section.



Toward the back of the lower tier of this side, still in the corner.



Main side, moving across slightly.



Zooming in on the scoreboard at the far end, I was once sat in the top corner there, a few years ago, at a Sparta v. Slavia derby, when there were over 12,000 fans packed inside!



Going back along to the corner where I showed you the first photo.



The home terraced end again.



A shot of the roof over the ice.



The main side from the terrace.



Now we are on the home terrace.



Turning back down the main side, to the players' benches.



Rests on the home crush barriers, for the fans drums.



Turning left now, to the other big bank of seating, my ticket was to be for the left hand side of that area, as we look at it.



Looking along the side, note the club colours on the support pillars.



The main side, from the opposite corner of the home terrace.



This sign, above the steps up to one of the sections of seating, is covered by Sparta fan stickers.



In the centre of the side, looking across to the main side, with the posh seats in the middle.



Looking left, to the away section of terrace.



Still on the side.



Back to the home end.



Almost at the away sections. This is a smaller area of terrace, than the home end.



Past the away terracing is what looks like a 'boxing ring'!



Steps back down to the concourse.



Wider steps from the main concourse, where all the refreshment stands, and suchlike, are.



Honours hanging down from banners above the ice.



In the bottom corner of this side now.



Onto the away terrace next.



Eyes to the right, the stand we've just been in.



Directly down the ice.



With the main side to the left. Which was time for me to leave.



Back in the evening, pre-match. One of the many refreshment stands.



A souvenir stall.



Under the stands the concourses were wide.



Hockey posters on the walls.



Shoot the puck games to take part in.



Old fashioned lights on the concourse walls.



To match the old fashioned mosaic tiles on the floor.



Another poster.



Club mascot on a door, note, in 'typical eastern European style' the clock is not working!



Well I don't smoke anyway, with regard to the camera..sorry, I don't understand Czech!



Now for the game! I didn't take a full set of snaps around the rink, as I've aready covered them, so here's the rest that I took in the evening.



The home end.



And the Kladno supporters in their section. (With another broken clock!)



Sparta mascot standing on the home terrace.



The Sparta fans being led by the man with the megaphone.



A little blurred, but the man in the black jacket has annoyed the stewards.



Out you go!



A bit of the game.



Skimpily dressed girls who clear the ice scrapings from the goal areas during the match.



Ah, that's what the 'boxing ring' is for...the cheerleaders!



Here they are on the big screen above the ice.



Some sort of interval entertainment. This was a telvised match, & it's something to do with a lottery of some sort, by the look of it.



Not entirely sure what they were trying to do.



The other goal covered by the lottery advert.



Unlucky. Here's the cheque you could have won!



Above them, at the home end, are the retired Sparta shirt numbers.



The home fans in full flow.



This spot is a few rows behind where my seat was, my spot being a little further dwon, to the left of this snap.



These were the seats, just before the end, to the left of mine.



At the back, in the corner of my side, looking over the ice, and to the home end. Note that car just behind the far corner of the ice.



Lots of fans wore the cardboard Skoda hats, in Sparta colours, and Sparta paper flags, given out inside the turnstiles before the game.



Another shot of the hockey on the ice.



The scoreboard at the end of the third period. Now overtime & sudden death!



Here's the car I pointed out. Presumably a Skoda!



Kladno score to win, disappointed home fans clap their team. Time to go.