How to be a Czech hockey fan
By Nancy Ryerson
A Czech hockey game is easy to get swept up in — the fast moving puck, the unintelligible Czech chants, and of course the free-flowing pivo make for an enjoyable, very Czech evening. Regardless of whether you’re a long time hockey fan or just associate the game with Canada and wild post-game brawls, a Czech hockey game is an experience everyone should enjoy before leaving Prague.
And for Czechs, hockey is a point of pride — the team won the gold medal at the 1998 Olympics and has since won several world championships. So if you want to try and blend in with the Czechs and cheer for Prague teams Slavia or Sparta, there are a few tips you can take note of before donning your team scarf and cheering for the home team.
Dress
Most fans, from grandparents to small children, attend the games in their favorite team’s jersey or at least in a team scarf.
Super fans
Anyone can join a kotel (literally a kettle or vessel), a group of fans for whom team dress is absolutely necessary and who lead the crowd in chants and cheers. They usually take up a section of the bleachers and are lead by one or two fans that start the audience in clapping, cheering, and chanting. The leader pounds out beats on a drum or chants through a microphone. Usually there is only a kotel for the home team.
Though fans are serious, hockey in the Czech Republic does not generally end in violence. While there is sometimes a small fight at the end of the game, it is usually between only the most “emotional” fans, according to NYU RA Ivana Hrůzová. It does not compare to the passion of European soccer fans, for example.
Chants
Feel like a real fan and join in with one of these Czech hockey chants and their approximate English translations.
Hoši, do toho! (HO-shi, doh TO-ho) – Let’s go, guys!
Dáme góla, dáme! (DAHM-eh GO-la, DAHM-eh) – Let’s score!
My chceme gól!(Me KHTSEM-eh GOL) – We want a goal
If you hear a small song at the game, it could be this chant:
Pojďmě hoši, pojďme do toho, hej, pojďme do toho, hej, pojďme do toho! (POYD-meh HO-shee, POYD-meh do TO-ho, POYD-meh do TO-ho, hay, POYD-meh do TO-ho!) – Let’s go, guys, into it, hey, let’s go into it, hey, let’s go into it!
Seeing the games
Sparta plays home games at Tesla Arena. Tickets CZK 80-480. Slavia plays home games at the O2 Arena. Tickets CZK 150-260.

I have 2 tickets to Czech-Slovakia semifinal game in Helsinki. If you are interested, please send an email to ilkka.kosola@basware.com