Ultras (ice hockey)

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French ice hockey fans with tifos in a 2008 French Cup game. Ice Hockey French Cup 2008 35.JPG
French ice hockey fans with tifos in a 2008 French Cup game.

Ultras are a type of ice hockey fans mainly in European ice hockey culture who are known for their fanatical support of a club. The term originated in Italy and comes from the Latin word ultra, meaning "beyond" or "farther", but is used worldwide to describe predominantly organised fans of sports clubs. Ultras fans in ice hockey are known for organised chants, tifo choreographies, flags and sometimes flares. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Ultras in ice hockey are known for violence and hooliganism. [4] [5] [6] Some ice hockey teams have association football sections and share fans and fan groups with them. Some ultras groups are linked to far-right ideologies and fascism. [7] [8]

Europe

Finland

2,000 Ilves fans marching into the arena in Vaasa Osasto 41 marssi.webp
2,000 Ilves fans marching into the arena in Vaasa

The first ultras groups in Finnish hockey were HC TPS' Sissiryhmä founded in the early 2000s, Helsingin Jokerit's fan group Ultras Jokerit [9] and Vaasan Sport's Ultras 06 founded in 2004, and Lahti Pelicans' Ääriliike founded in 2005, [10] and Porin Ässät's fan group Pataljoona founded in 2008. [11]

Most of the first wave ultras groups no longer exist. HC TPS supporters go by the name Mutka. Since 2023 the ultras section of Jokerit went by Katupojat until being disestablished in 2024. [12] Pelicans' different supporter groups have united as Lahen Turkoosi. [10] Among the second-wave ultras groups activated during the 2010s are Ilves' Osasto 41, [13] Poromafia of Oulun Kärpät, [14] Raumam Boja of Lukko Rauma, [15] Men Behaving Badly Kouvola of KooKoo, [16] Viikinkiveljet of Jukurit [17] and Hermes Loyals of Hermes. [18] [19] Porin Ässät used to have an ultras group called Etulinja. [20]

Germany

ETC Crimmitschau fans ETC Einlauf Fans.jpg
ETC Crimmitschau fans

Since the early 2000s, the ultras ieology has also become established in the German ice hockey fan scene, and various ultra groups can be found in many ice rinks and arenas from the DEL to the minor leagues. [21] However, the first ultra-similar groups formed earlier. In the mid-1990s the first choreographies were seen in Munich and the Munich Supporters were formed. The ultras group Red Line was founded in Krefeld in 1996. Groups also formed in Augsburg and Schwenningen before the turn of the millennium. Choreography and other ultra features were viewed very skeptically at the time, but are now common practice in many arenas. In the relatively small scene there are a lot of contacts between the active people of the various groups. Violence occurs irregularly between ultra groups in various clubs. [22] [23]

Sweden

Two of the biggest ultras groups in Swedish ice hockey belong to rival teams Djurgårdens IF and AIK IF. [3] [24] [25]

Switzerland

ZSC Lions fans with a tifo Lineup (5154107439).jpg
ZSC Lions fans with a tifo

The most common violations of law by ultras and hooligans in the 2019–20 ice hockey and football season were infringements of the explosives law, not adhering to the ban on face-coverings and engaging in violence or intimidation towards authorities. [26]

Some ultras groups in Switzerland include the Friburgensis of the Fribourg-Gotteron [27] and the ZSC Lions ultras groups. [28]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liiga</span> Ice hockey league in Finland

The SM-liiga, colloquially called the Finnish Elite League in English or FM-ligan in Swedish, is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. The league comprises 16 teams from all around Finland with relegation and promotion between the Mestis. The winner of the Liiga playoffs is awarded the Kanada-malja at the end of each season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jokerit</span> Professional ice hockey club based in Helsinki, Finland

Helsingin Jokerit is a professional ice hockey team based in Helsinki, Finland, which competes in Mestis, Jokerit plays its home games at the Helsinki Ice Hall in Helsinki.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HC Ässät Pori</span> Ice hockey club in Pori, Finland

Porin Ässät, officially named Hockey Club Ässät Pori and colloquially known as Pata, is a professional ice hockey club based in Pori, Finland. It competes in the SM-liiga, the highest-ranking league of ice hockey in Finland. Since 1971, Ässät has played its games in the Isomäki Ice Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tifo</span> Phenomenon of supporting a sport team

Tifo is the phenomenon whereby tifosi of a sports team make a visual display of any choreographed flag, sign or banner in the stands of a stadium, mostly as part of an association football match.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urpo Ylönen trophy</span>

The Urpo Ylönen trophy is an ice hockey award given by the Finnish Liiga to the best goalie of the season. It is named for Urpo Ylönen, former goaltender and later goaltender coach. In 2019 it was awarded to Veini Vehviläinen of Kärpät.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mestis</span> Finnish ice hockey league

Mestis is the second-highest men's ice hockey league in Finland. The league was established by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association in 2000 to replace the I-divisioona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eero Kilpeläinen</span> Finnish ice hockey player (born 1985)

Eero Kilpeläinen is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender who last played for KalPa in the SM-liiga. He was selected by the Dallas Stars in the 5th round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isomäki Ice Hall</span> Ice hockey arena in Pori, Finland

Isomäen jäähalli, also known as Enersense Areena for sponsorship reasons is a multi-purpose arena located in Pori, Finland. The arena is used by ice hockey club Porin Ässät. The arena was opened in 1971 and the capacity for hockey games is 6 150 and for concerts 4 000.

The 2018–19 SM-liiga season was the 44th season of the SM-liiga, the top level of ice hockey in Finland, since the league's formation in 1975.

The 2019–20 SM-liiga season was the 45th season of the SM-liiga, the top level of ice hockey in Finland, since the league's formation in 1975. The last two game days of the regular season were scheduled to be played in front of an empty arena due to the Finnish government advising that all public events with more than 500 attendees would be cancelled or postponed. On 13 March, the rest of the season, which included the final round of the regular season and all of playoffs, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satakunnan derby</span> Ice hockey matchups

Satakunnan derby is a name used for ice hockey matchups between Porin Ässät and Rauman Lukko of the Liiga. Lukko and Ässät are placed into the same block, which means that they play six games against each other in one Liiga regular season. Both teams also participate in the annual Pitsiturnaus preseason tournament hosted by Lukko. Ässät and Lukko have met in the playoffs three times, playing a total of five games. Ässät has won all five of them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porin Ässät</span> Finnish sports club

Porin Ässät ry is a sports club based in Pori, Finland. The club's only programs are ice hockey and esports, but it used to have an association football program. Porin Ässät ry operates an ice hockey team in the Finnish Elite League. Porin Ässät ry also has junior teams for all age groups from U7 to U20. Porin Ässät ry also operate a women's ice hockey school and the girl's junior ice hockey department while also operating a skating school.

Patrik Juhola is a Finnish ice hockey player who is currently under a contract with Porin Ässät of the Liiga, but on a season loan at Imatran Ketterä, his contract with Ässät ends after the 2024–25 season. Juhola was selected as the best player of the month in the U20 SM-sarja in the 2021–22 season when he put up 39 points in 40 games as a 17 year old. Juhola has played 3 WJC games putting up one point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pataljoona</span>

Ässät Fan Club/Pataljoonary, otherwise known as Pataljoona, is the official supporters' organization of Porin Ässät. Pataljoona is present at Ässät's home games and sometimes away games, especially Lukko–Ässät derby games. Pataljoona has chants supported by a drum, a megaphone, flags, signs and tifos. In Ässät home games, Pataljoona operates from the standing section of the Isomäki Areena.

The 2023–24 Mestis season was the 24th season of Mestis, the second level of ice hockey in Finland. 13 teams participated in the league. This season marked the return of Jokerit to Finnish hockey after 10 years in the KHL.

The 2012–13 Porin Ässät season was the club's 37th season in the SM-liiga and the 45th season at the top-level of ice hockey in Finland. Towards the end of the regular season, Ässät won 14 matches in a row and did not miss a single point during the last 16 regular season matches. Ässät finished fourth in the regular season, being only one point away from the 3rd placed JYP. The season eventually ended in Kanada-malja championship celebrations after Ässät beat Tappara Tampere in the finals. The championship was Ässät's third.

The 2013–14 Porin Ässät season was the club's 38th season in the SM-liiga and the 46th season at the top-level of ice hockey in Finland. In the previous season, Ässät had won their third Finnish championship in its history by defeating Tappara in the finals. With this, Ässät's season started at home against Lukko by raising the championship banner to the roof of the Pori Ice Hall. The season went poorly for Ässät, as the team's ranking was third last in the regular season. Only TPS and KalPa collected fewer points.

The 1977–78 Porin Ässät season was the club's third season in the SM-liiga and the 11th season at the top-level ice hockey league in Finland. Ässät finished 2nd in the regular season, two points behind Tappara. Ässät beat Tappara 3–1 in the final series to become the Finnish champions for the 2nd time in the club's history. The win also secured Ässät a spot in the 1978–79 IIHF European Cup, in which they won bronze.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024–25 Liiga season</span> Ice hockey season

The 2024–25 Liiga season is the 50th season of the Liiga, the top level of Finnish ice hockey since 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ässät–Sport rivalry</span> Ice hockey rivalry in Finland

The Ässät–Sport rivalry, also known as the Kasitien derby, is an ice hockey rivalry between the HC Ässät Pori and Vaasan Sport, two professional ice hockey clubs in Finland. The rivalry has its roots in the 2009 SM-liiga qualifiers, where Ässät beat Sport in seven games to keep their SM-liiga spot. Sport was later promoted to the SM-liiga in 2014.

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