The Czech Ice Hockey Association and the Organizing Committee co-operated with the Department of Education, Youth and Sports to prepare a project called: “Tickets for Worlds to Schools”. Several schools in Prague, the Central-Bohemian region and Ostrava were offered tickets for some chosen games of the tournament for free as a part of the project.

“Support of ice hockey among the children is one of the priorities in the organization of the championship. Last year, there was a successful campaign called ‘Come and Play Hockey’ and also part of the promotion of the championship is aimed at children – the main role in a TV spot is a little boy and our mascots were chosen also for their popularity amongst the youngest fans. This project of tickets distribution to schools could attract more young fans to both arenas,” Tomas Kral, President of the CIHA, believes.

“Tickets for Worlds to Schools” is being held under the auspices of Marcel Chladek, who is the Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, and it will distribute about 35,000 tickets in total. The organizers approached more than 500 facilities.

“I am really pleased with the possibility for elementary school pupils to experience that unique atmosphere of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship games. I am fully convinced that this experience from watching those big clashes can help them to create a lifelong positive relationship with sport,” Marcel Chladek hopes.

Also pupils of the hockey family were of course not forgotten – free tickets were offered to 120 clubs aiming on players in the 8th grade of elementary school or younger.