Following the successful IIHF World Championships in Cologne and the UEFA Champions League this past weekend, Munich 2018 says the events have showcased key strengths of its bid – Germany’s passion for sport and its expertise in organizing world class sporting events.
More than 173,000 German ice hockey fans have travelled to support their team throughout the competition and those not able to purchase tickets watched at various live sites, said a press release.
Munich 2018 bid committee CEO, Willy Bogner said, “yesterday’s massive crowds gathered to watch the hockey and football at various live sites was reminiscent of scenes at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and indicates that the Munich 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games would become a huge international celebration of sport and humanity across Germany”.
According to a press release the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships in Germany have seen record attendances, supporting claims that a Munich 2018 Games would draw the biggest and most passionate crowds in Winter Games history. The opener in Gelsenkirchen attracted a world record 77,803 spectators, and, with the final two games still to play, this year’s tournament may surpass the current overall attendance record of 552,907.
The IIHF World Championships were televised on more than 200 TV stations beaming the matches to over 700 million viewers around the world.
Bogner said, “German ice hockey utilized the World Championships in a perfect way to present their sport and to generate enthusiasm – that’s what we aim to build on for 2018”.
